


A Curious Case of Blue

by CrystalOak



Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Cute, Denial, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Contracts, Rare Pairings, Romance, Tsunderes, pre-game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-04-14 19:07:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 25,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14142609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalOak/pseuds/CrystalOak
Summary: When an annoying ball of slime breaks into an angry carnation's home, as weird as it sounds, quite the interesting story unfolds.





	1. The Tresspasser

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so, I basically came up with this ship from reading another author's work. I'm well aware that the idea of a romance between Cagney and Goopy is a little far-fetched. I read about them fighting, and the idea just popped into my head. Over the next few days, I searched for any bit of proof that other people shipped this, but all I came up with was 8 pieces of fan art, and not one page of fan fiction. 
> 
> So, I thought, "Hell, why don't I just write my own?" And that's how we got to this point. 
> 
> Please enjoy A Curious Case of Blue! The work and chapters titles were all created by my good friend sillystarflakes!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early June

“Psst… Cagney… Cagney?” 

“Hnn…?”

A large flower lay in the dirt, sun pouring over his petals. He slowly opened his eyes, and rose from his warm spot. He rubbed his face with his leaves, groaning a bit as he hunched over to face the one who woke him. 

“Golly, Cagney! I thought you’d never wake up! You’ve got a busy day today, y’know?” a smaller flower scolded. 

“Yeah… Thanks for waking me, buddy.” Cagney smiled a bit as he looked at the daisy below him. He had quite a few of these personified flowers living in his garden home. They often helped Cagney out with little tasks, such as waking him up when he slept in. 

“So, do you remember what you have to do today?” the flower asked, tilting his head slightly. 

“I think so…” Cagney put a leaf to his face, “I gotta buy fertilizer and weed killer, and water the garden… Oh, and buy violet seeds! Gah, I really hate walking to that shop, though…” Cagney sighed. 

“Well, you’ll be fine.Taking a nice walking, getting out of the garden… It will do you some good!” he put his leaves to his stem, in the way a human would put their hands on their hips. 

“Yeah yeah… Guess I’ll head out after I get my water. You guys had better be good while I’m gone.” Cagney didn’t leave his garden too often, maybe once or twice a month. Leaving his friends was like leaving children home alone. 

“Of course, you don’t need to worry! After you go, I’ll start waking everyone else, and we'll try to get some of your watering done.” 

“Thanks a ton. Hey, where’s the watering can?” he glanced around, his vision still a bit blurry from sleeping for so long. 

“You left it in the shed last night, remember? I can grab it for you, if you like.” Before Cagney could object, the daisy was already making his way over to the small wooden shack. 

After a few minutes, and some audible distress coming from the shed, the flower emerged with a large can, holding it (with much difficulty) over his head. 

Cagney sighed, and walked to meet his friend halfway. He easily lifted the can from the daisy’s hands. 

“Thanks, buddy. But really, you don’t need to strain yourself. I’m more than capable of grabbing my own watering can.” Cagney frowned at the panting daisy. 

“Nah… It was… Nothin’...” he puffed.

Cagney quickly poured the contents of the can in his mouth, and a little on his face. He shook his head, in a similar way to a dog, to try to rid himself of lingering drops. 

“Ahh, that always feels great, doesn't it?” Cagney immediately perked up, 

“It sure does! Now, enough chit-chat, you gotta get going!” the daisy made a shooing motion with his leaves. 

“Right… You guys be good while I’m gone, I’ll be back in about three hours!” Cagney started towards the garden gate. 

“I told you, don't worry! Everything will be fine!” 

 

\-----

 

Damn, this is a long walk…” Cagney muttered as he reached the bridge to the third isle. To the other, more active folks in Inkwell, the walk would seem easy, but Cagney wasn’t exactly strolling around town daily. 

His legs, or stems, always seemed to surprise the neighbors. As far as he, or the other residents knew, he was one of the largest flowers in all of the isles. They expected him to be more or less immobile, with such a large form. 

Thought Cagney didn’t really talk to anyone, everyone knew of the vast garden in Isle one, and it’s gardener. Some say you can smell Cagney’s flowers all the way to the other side of the isle.

After a little more walking, and a little more cursing, Cagney finally reached his destination. It was the only gardening shop in any of the isles. He pushed open the door, and quickly found everything he needed. Though he didn’t get out much, when he did, he came here. 

“Have a nice day, Mr. Carnation!” the owner waved as Cagney left. 

Cagney sighed as he struggled to carry the heavy bags. Though he was over 6 feet tall, he was still quite thin, and not all that strong. 

 

\-----

 

After another, tougher walk back to his home, Cagney’s arms were just about to go limp. Before even opening his garden’s gate, he dropped the bags over the short fence. He trudged into his home, but all fatigue seemed to leave him when he saw what had happened to his flowers. 

Slime, Blue slime covered the dirt, trees, and flowers… Little chunks of blue goop scattered across his home. 

“What in the…” he hunched over and poked at a pile of it in front of him. It felt exactly as he expected; warm, wet, and squishy. 

“Who the hell…?” Cagney started, but was interrupted by a small voice. 

“Cagney! The daisy bounded towards him, waving his leaves, “It was awful!” 

“Whoa, calm down! What happened?” Cagney stroked his friend’s petals in an attempt to calm him. 

“This… This  _ monster  _ came in here got his goop everywhere! We tried to tell him to leave, but he wouldn’t budge!” Soon enough, more garden residents ran to Cagney, all attempting to share the same story. 

“Monster” this, and “slime” that. Everyone was shouting over each other. 

“Enough!” Cagney yelled. Everyone immediately fell silent. “I can’t understand you if you’re all shouting! Now, one at a time, please?” 

A rose stepped forward a bit. “Mr. Cagney, a blue slime ball came in here. He said he wanted to check out the flowers. We told him to leave until you got back, but… But he just hopped around the garden and made a mess! He stayed for around an hour… We really tried!” tears began to form on the edges of the flower’s eyes as he explained. 

“Hey, it’s alright… I mean, you’re all quite small, and this… Monster sounds quite large.” Cagney tried his best to display an understanding smile, but inside, he was furious. Not at his friends, of course, but at the low-down trespassers that messed with his home. 

“Actually, he was only about two feet tall!” a tulip piped in. 

“Really? Well, that’s still almost five times your size… Anyways, all we can do now is try to clean this up, and see if he comes around again.” Cagney sighed. 

So, they all worked to dispose of the blue goop. It took a few hours, but they finished by dusk. Almost immediately after throwing the full bags of slime over the fence, the garden residents fell asleep. 

 

\-----

 

It happened again. 

 

Cagney hadn’t seen any signs of a blue monster in Inkwell for nearly a month. He decided that the “monster” was just a confused tourist, which they got a lot of in Inkwell. 

But, once he returned from another trip to the garden shop, he saw that all too familiar slime covering his home again. 

“Again?!” he dropped his bags at the gate, and ran inside. 

A daffodil came running to Cagney, “It happened again!” she cried, “He came back again!” 

“That’s it!” Cagney stomped over to a particularly large pile of slime in the middle of the garden, and stomped down hard on it, sending bits flying. The other flowers starred in total confusion. 

“Now I’m effing pissed. We are going to find that damn monster, and he’s going to pay.” Cagney hissed, more to himself than the others. 

The residents went stiff. Cagney hardly got angry, at least, not around his close friends. The only time he ever really yelled in their presence was when kids threw rocks at him, or people carelessly walked through his home. Even then, he never had such a look in his eyes. 

One brave rose spoke up, “How?” 

Cagney thought for a second, a plan forming in his head. “We’re going to wait a week. I’m going to go into the ground, and wait for him to come again. When he does, I’m gonna grab him, and give him a good scare. He won’t be coming back…” Cagney smiled a bit. 

The flowers each looked at the other, nodding, muttering agreements. It seemed like a decent plan, at least. 

 

\-----

 

The next week went by slowly as Cagney perfected his plan. Everyone else was visibly anxious, but carried out their daily duties nonetheless. 

Finally, the end of the week came. 

 

Cagney said, loudly enough for people further away to hear, “I’m leaving, be good!” He stepped outside the gate, inhaled deeply, and made his way to the nearby forest. 

Once there, he burrowed himself in the ground, and dug his way to the garden. He had practiced the digging multiple times over the week, so a general path was marked in the soil. 

In the emergence spot, there was a daisy waiting to give Cagney the signal; a tap on the dirt. 

Cagney reached the spot, and sat there for what must have been hours. He was nearly falling asleep. Eventually, he was awoken by a faint sound. 

Tapping. 

Without hesitation, Cagney burst from the soil. He heard a high-pitched yelp as he rubbed the dirt off his face. He turned toward his gate to see the perpetrator. 

A small hunk of goop, with a small red nose, wide eyes, a spike on his top, and a terrified expression. 

“You…” Cagney hissed. He slowly walked towards the tiny “monster.” 

“Ahah! Mr.- Mr.- I’m sorry, you see, I thought… I thought you’d left, so... “ he forced a shaking smile. 

“Get out. Don’t ever come to my garden again.” Cagney growled, still approaching the trespasser. 

"I was just-" 

" _Get out._ " 

“I mean… How could I help myself?” he was up against the fence now, “Your… Your garden is so beautiful!” he paused. A smirk began to grow on his face, despite his dangerous situation, “Almost as beautiful as you.” 

Cagney dropped his expression.  _ “What the hell did he say?”  _

“Excuse me?” Cagney straightened up a bit, utterly confused. 

“Well, I always came here when you left ‘cause, no offense, you looked pretty darn scary! But, now that I see you up close, you’re pretty cute aren’t you?” he winked. Cagney felt himself shiver. Whether it was from disgust or the strange feeling in his stem, he didn’t know. 

For a few seconds, he didn’t know how to respond. This little shit damaged his property and, as far as he knew, was about to get beat up. Yet, he was  _ flirting _ ?

“You trespass into my home, mess up my garden, and completely piss me off, and yet you have the guts to call me “cute”?” Cagney’s intense expression returned. 

“Ah, sorry to offend you. Really though, you aren’t all that good with threats.” Any hint of fear had left the slime’s face. He only smiled smugly at Cagney. 

Cagney couldn’t believe what his was hearing. “Not good with threats, huh?” Without missing a beat, Cagney thrust his leaves into the ground, creating thick vines to squeeze the life out of the monster. 

He tried to constrict him, but found that the slime only slipped through his vines. The ball of goop chuckled. 

“The hell?!” Cagney yelled, losing all composure as he desperately tried to get a hold of his foe. It was no use. 

After a few more minutes of failed attempts at success, Cagney gave up, panting while he removed his vines from the dirt. 

“See what I mean? I don’t mean to brag, but I’m a pretty tough slime. I’m so great, I’ve got the word “Grande” in my name!” he boasted proudly. “Speaking of names, I’m Goopy Le Grande! Pretty fitting title isn’t it? And you’re Mister…?” 

“ _ Did this little asshole really want to introductions?”  _ Cagney was beyond furious now, steam practically spilling from his ears. He was sure it would be, if he had ears. 

Though he was just about ready to knock Goopy into next Tuesday, he heard himself saying “Cagney Carnation.” 

“What a lovely name!” he cooed, as if he has no recollection of the past few minutes of struggling. He presented a gloved hand, and held it out to Cagney. “Nice ta meetcha, Mr. Carnation!” 

Cagney refused to touch him. “The feeling isn’t mutual, I can assure you.” he glared at Goopy. 

“Aw, don’t be like that! You gotta see things from  _ my  _ perspective!” Goopy protested, disappointment in his voice. 

“You trespassed into my home and made a total mess! Twice! How on earth do you explain that?” he questioned angrily. 

“OK, hear me out. There’s this beautiful garden right by my house, and I absolutely love flowers! But, there’s this giant, thorny carnation guarding it! Obviously, I’m gonna take advantage of the time it’s gone!” Goopy explained. 

“That doesn't justify breaking into someone's home! Even if it did, why the hell did you leave your gross slime everywhere?” 

“First of all, my slime is  _ not  _ gross. And second of all, I really didn’t mean to. You see, I stay in the shade of the forest most of the time, so I never really notice when the sun makes me melt a bit… Like now.” Indeed, a puddle was forming around Goopy, who rubbed his back and looked away. “ _ Now he decides to get embarrassed?” _

“It _is_ gross. And, not that I care, but do you die or something when you melt too much?” Cagney raised an eyebrow, making sure not to show a hint of concern on his face. 

“Die? No, no! I can make as much slime as I want! Just makes a mess, is all…” Goopy waved his hands in front of his face. 

“I’m well aware of the mess it makes. Anyways, I’m done chatting with you. You need to leave.” Cagney straightened up again and crossed his arms, looming over the small slime. 

“C’mon, you’re still mad?” Of course he was. “Well, I’m sure you’ll come around. After all, I can't just let such a handsome flower go, can I?" once again, he winked, and hopped over the fence.

Cagney was, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, dumbstruck. “What the hell does that mean?” he muttered, watching Goopy disappear into the trees. 

He turned back to his home, and began picking up slime again. 

“ _ What a little shit. _ ” 


	2. The Tear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early June

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter seemed to move a bit quickly, but I don't want to waste anybody's time with useless details. I'm not really sure how good this story is so far, so I would love some criticism!

“Gosh, it sure is hot today…” Cagney complained, trudging through his garden. 

“I suppose it is, but the sun _does_ feel nice!” a member of a garden box commented. “Speaking of, are you gonna make your way over here soon, Cagney?” 

“I’m on my way!” Cagney quickly finished watering the patch he stood by. Every other day, he watered one half of his garden, and the other half the next day. He would’ve liked to do the entire garden in a day, but it was so vast he would collapse before he got close to finishing. 

“No need to rush, Cagney! It’s just so darn hot, y’know?” 

“Yeah… But I guess you're right, the sun _is_ good for growing flowers… Oh well.” Once Cagney had made his way over to the box, he swiftly poured the contents of his watering can over the flowers inside. They practically cheered in delight. 

“Ahh, thanks! You should get some water too!” a rose suggested.

“Trust me, I’ve already used up about 4 cans…” Cagney laughed, “But I still have so much more to do... “ 

“You can do it, you always do! And, we’ve been expecting this heat for a while, what with summer coming along and all…” 

“I guess you’re right. Well, I’m gonna head over to the other patches, you guys alright over here?” 

“Yep, don’t worry about us!” 

Cagney started towards the next patch, but he didn’t quite make it over there before he heard an ear-piercing shriek. 

“He’s back!” 

Before he even turned around, Cagney had a good guess of who his friend was screaming about. He didn’t even need to guess after he heard that annoying voice. 

“Cagney! It’s so great to see you again~!” 

Cagney immediately whirled around to face Goopy.

“What the hell do you want?” he questioned angrily. “ _How dumb was this guy? ‘Great to see you”? Did he completely forget what happened yesterday?_ ” 

Without seeming the least bit intimidated, Goopy answered, “Well, I was in the area, so I thought I’d pay my favorite flower a visit!” he grinned. 

“Are you an idiot?” Cagney growled, scowling. 

“Well, that depends on who you ask. But anyways, I just wanted to come by and chat with you. Afterall, it’s not every day I stumble across such a beautiful flower!” he winked. 

“Ugh! I already said I don’t want you around!” Cagney exclaimed, practically seething with anger. 

Goopy seemed almost unaffected by the carnation’s protest, and continued, “You know, I’d absolutely love to pay your garden another visit! Do you mind if I come in?” Before receiving an answer, however, Goopy was already hopping eagerly towards the gate. 

Cagney held out a large leaf to block the slime. “No way!” he argued, “It’s hot as hell today! I can _already_ see you melting!” 

Goopy paused for a second, looking down at the small puddle of goopy surrounding him, before suddenly looking up again with a shocked expression. “Oh, I get it now!”

“Get what?” Cagney lowered his leaf slightly. 

“Why you don’t want me around! I know I can make a mess… That’s got to be it!” 

“No shit, but that’s not the _only_ reason…” Cagney muttered. 

“Well, if that’s the case, I think I’ve got a solution! I’ll be back tomorrow to show you! Look forward to it!” without allowing Cagney to even respond, Goopy made his way back to the shade of the forest. 

“Gah! I don’t want you coming back!” Cagney shouted after him.

 

Throughout the entire exchange, the garden folk had stayed silent, more out of interest than fear. Finally, after what seemed like a very long silence, a daisy piped in. “What do we do?” 

Cagney was asking himself the same question. It was obvious that Goopy wasn’t scared of him, so his usual route of intimidation wouldn’t help him here. It’s not like he could report Goopy to the police, either, as he didn’t have any actual evidence that Goopy had trespassed into his garden (twice). 

“I don’t know…” he uttered, running his leaves through his petals. 

“Um…” a tulip spoke up, “No offense, Cagney, but… I think that guy _likes_ you…” 

“Oh, I’m well aware… I’m sure he’s just trying to get a rise out of me... “ And it was certainly working. “There’s no way in hell I would _ever_ go for someone like him.” The thought alone of being with that smug bastard was enough to make Cagney nauseous. 

All he could do was finish his work for the day, and wait in dread for the next afternoon. 

 

\------

 

Cagney could hardly focus on his duties that morning, what with such an unpleasant guest coming to visit. And sure enough, though Cagney wished for the whole thing to blow over, Goopy returned to the garden. 

“Hello again~!” his voice rang out across the garden, as did Cagney’s groan. 

“Did you miss me?” the slime smiled, approaching the gate. 

“Quite the opposite…” Cagney rolled his eyes. 

“Now, I’m sure you don’t mean that…” Goopy said. He placed one hand on the gate and held a large bundle with the other. 

“Hey!” Cagney smacked his hand away, earning a sharp yelp from the other party. “I _never_ said you could come in here!” 

“But… But I brought something that’d keep my slime off your lawn! See?” he presented the bundle to Cagney, handing it over the fence to him. 

Reluctantly, Cagney took the wrapped item. He slowly unraveled it, half-expecting some sort of trap. “A… Blanket?” 

“Pretty, clever huh?” Goopy asked, once again attempting to open the gate. 

“Dumbass… The slime’ll just soak through…” Cagney signed. He shoved the now-unfolded blanket back over the gate into Goopy’s hands. 

Goopy pushed the blanket back into a messy bundle, and pleaded, “It’s water resistant! Oh c’mon, just let me in, Cags!” 

For a split second, Cagney went stiff. “What the hell did you just call me?” 

“Oh, uh, Cags! I thought it was a cute nickname, y’know? It really suits you!” Again, that goddamn wink! 

“I don’t want your damn nicknames! Besides, you’re not coming in here!” Cagney threw his leaves up. He had work to get back to, and frankly, he didn’t intend on allowing this piece of shit to ever set foot in his home again. He couldn’t figure out how to deal with this guy. Threats, insults, a clear display of dismay… Nothing seemed to work. All he could really do now, no matter how embarrassing it was, was let Goopy have his way and hope he left afterwards. 

"Do you plan on effing leaving anytime soon?" Cagney asked impatiently, Goopt staring up at him. 

"Nope! Not till you let me hang out with you!" he smiled. 

“God...You know what? If I let you in here, will you leave me be?” Goopy perked up immediately, smiling widely. 

“You really mean it? See, I knew you’d come around!” he hopped over the fence and landed with a loud ‘plop’. 

“But only for five minutes!” Cagney added, watching his guest head towards the shady tree. 

“Ten?” Goopy didn’t turn to look at the carnation as he lay out the blanket. 

“Want it to be two?” he threatened. 

Once Goopy had settled himself in, he leaned back, closed his eyes, and sighed. 

“I really do love your garden, Cags.” 

“I said, I don’t call me-” Cagney started, but stopped when he saw Goopy motioning to come over. At first, Cagney just shook his head, but when Goopy didn’t let up, he let out a defeated huff and made his way to the shady spot. 

“Here! Sit down!” Goopy patted on a spot next to him. “Please?” 

“Fine.” Cagney grumbled. He plopped down, though hesitantly, on the blanket. He made sure to be as far from Goopy as possible. 

After a minute or so of sitting in silence, Cagney heard Goopy shuffling closer. In response, Cagney scooted away, Goopy closer, and then Cagney further. This silent battle went on for a while until both had ended up next to a garden box, with Cagney practically pushed up against the side. He could feel his face getting hotter, and Goopy’s breath on his stem, and Jesus Christ it felt awful. 

“Jeez, you sure are shy~!” Goopy cooed, trying to get even closer. 

“Am not! I just don’t want you touching me!”Cagney exclaimed. He tried to push Goopy away and succeeded in causing him to roll over. 

Goopy sat back up and rubbed the top of his head. “Sure sure… You know Cags, you’re as good at lying as you are at threatening!” 

“Exactly _what_ did I do that makes you think I’m shy?!” 

“Well, let’s see…” he mockingly put a hand to his cheek in thought. “You push me away, you don’t want to touch me, and you live alone. Also, I saw you blushing when I rubbed up against you! Seems pretty shy to me!” he asserted with a grin. 

Cagney pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He had to think pretty carefully of a way to respond that wouldn’t fuel Goopy’s fire. 

“Ever think the reason I do those things is that I just don’t like you? And I don’t live alone, and I didn’t effing blush.” he added. 

“That’s definitely something that someone with a… What’s the word…? Sugar and ice! A sugar and ice personality would say!” 

"What the hell does that even mean?!" Cagney exclaimed furiously. 

"Someone who acts cold and angry, but is actually really loving and sweet. That's got to be you, Cags!" he giggled. 

"Are you kidding?! After everything I've done to get you the hell away from me you _still_ think I want to be nice to you?!" 

"Why wouldn't you want to be? I can _tell_ that you like me..." he rubbed up against Cagney's petals. This action, it seemed, finally pushed Cagney over the limit. 

“You know what?!” Cagney suddenly stood up. “I’ve already said _too many times_ that I want you to leave! I don’t like you, and I never will! You’re so annoying, I don’t know how anyone could!” Cagney sees, for the first time, Goopy falter, but Cagney is determined not to let his conscience catch up with him. This is the only method that seemed to be working. “Honestly, I don’t understand _why_ you insist on bothering me! God, I wish you’d just leave! I _hate_ you!” 

Goopy flinched, his gaze cast down at the ground. Cagney huffed and admired his handiwork. He felt a grin growing on his face until Goopy lifted his lead. Cagney froze when he saw something shiny running down Goopy’s cheeks. He didn’t get too long a look though, as the slime bolted towards the fence, and swiftly hopped over it. 

Cagney felt a pit forming in his stomach, and it grew even deeper when he heard the whispers surrounding him. Apparently, he had been a bit louder than he intended, as the daily passersby were all staring at him. 

That pit became practically bottomless when he heard an apple-headed fellow say, “What a jerk… Making a poor young boy cry…” 

“ _Cry…?_ ”

Cagney slowly turned away from the crowd of people, feeling their eyes on his back. He noticed the goo-covered blanket that still resided under the tree. He slowly approached it, picked it up, shook off the residue, and gently folded the smooth material. He stepped towards his shed, and carefully placed it on a shelf inside. 

 

No one in the garden spoke for the rest of the day.


	3. The Apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid June

“Pleh! Cagney? Cag- Cagney?!” 

“Huh? Oh, sorry!” Cagney swiftly lifted the watering can in his hand. 

The tulip shook itself off, rubbing water out of its eyes. “Jeez Cagney! I thought you were trying to drown me!” he huffed, clearly peeved. “You’ve nearly killed half the flowers today!” 

“Yeah, sorry…” Cagney sighed. He had, indeed, received similar complaints from other garden residents over the past couple days. Not only had he been over watering the plants, but he had knocked over the watering can several times, spilled the bag of fertilizer, missed certain flower patches on his daily rounds, and more. He had also been asked several times where he was looking when he stared off into the distance, something he did frequently now. 

Everyone, it seemed, knew what was going on. Yet, nobody wanted to talk about it. 

After the third time being watered _that day_ , a few daisies spoke up. “Gosh Cagney! If you’re so upset over that Goopy guy, just go apologize!” The other flowers stared in shock, but were all thinking the same thing. 

“Huh? Are you kidding? I’m- I’m not upset over _that_!” he sputtered, caught off guard. 

“Sure…” another said, “You’ve only been walking around like a zombie for the past three days…” 

“So what? I’m just tired!” 

“I mean, that would make sense,” the third one said sarcastically, “you haven’t been sleeping lately. I wonder why?” 

“Just shut it, alright? I can promise you, I do not feel the least bit guilty. What I said to that little shit was totally justified!” he huffed, turning to face the other way. _Was it really though?_ Cagney, at first, wouldn’t budge on the subject, completely believing that he was in the right, but when he heard more and more people muttering about him, and saw more and more people glaring at him, his resolve began to falter a tad. 

The three exchanged concerned glances. What could they say that would get Cagney to go see Goopy? 

“Oh, I get it!” the second suddenly exclaimed. 

“Get what? I told you, I’m not-” Cagney started. 

“No no, hang on! You don’t feel guilty about Goopy, you feel guilty about taking his blanket, right?” the daisy shared a quick wink with his neighbors. “It did look pretty expensive, what with it being waterproof and all...“ 

“The… blanket?” Cagney’s expression softened. “I’d forgotten all about it.” 

The daisies all nodded. “You should really go return it.” 

“What?” Cagney turned back towards his friends with wide eyes. “I could never do that!” _How could I after what I did?_ he thought sadly. 

“Don’t worry, all you have to do is drop it off at his doorstep! He 'prolly won’t see you, so you won’t have to feel guilty about yelling at-” he was interrupted by a loud shushing from the other two flowers. 

“I do _not_ feel guilty. But, I guess I should return it…” Cagney stared at the ground, a contemplative expression on his face. “But wait, where does he even live?” 

The daisies faltered for a second. “How should we know? You should just ask around! There are other flower folk in those woods, after all. I’m sure one of them will know!” 

“Ugh, I guess I have no choice... “ he groaned, rubbing his face. I’ll head out tomorrow morning, it’s getting late.” 

“Sounds great!” the flowers smiled widely, proud of their success. 

Though Cagney meant to rest that night, sleep had become foreign to him. 

\-----

Cagney opened his eyes to bright sunshine filling his garden, immediately scowling. He had never felt such spite for the sunrise. After all, today sunrise meant facing the regrets of his actions.  
Though he tried to stay in the garden for as long as possible, stalling, pretending not to be able to find the blanket, chatting with the residents, he was eventually pushed out of the house, or garden, by his comrades. 

Blanket in hand, wearing a solemn expression, Cagney headed for the nearby forest Goopy had run to days ago. 

Once he had reached it, purposely walking slowly towards it, he spotted a small patch of violets. He bent down next to them, trying to appear friendly. 

“Excuse me?” he asked in a soft tone, “Do you happen to know where Goopy Le Grande lives?” 

“Hmm? Do you mean that blue slime boy? Yes, if you want to get to his house, follow that trail.” she nodded towards a shady dirt path. “Go straight through the first intersection, then turn left at the next one, and keep going straight… I believe he lives in a small brick home. Then again, I haven’t been down there in a while, so I may not be correct…” she tapped her chin in thought. 

“That’s okay! Thank you so much!” Cagney smiled and stood again, facing towards the forest path. 

“I really do hope she’s wrong…” he muttered as he made his way through the trail. 

It wasn’t long before Cagney reached the first intersection, and he went straight as the violet had instructed. However, the second turn took quite a while to get to. 

_Am I lost? I could still turn back, throw this effing blanket into the woods and never deal with that slime again… I could… I could…_ Thoughts of running away swirled in the carnation’s mind as he walked. Deep down, though, he knew he had to do this if he wanted to feel better. He may not have consciously realized this, but something kept him walking towards that left turn up ahead. 

Almost as soon as he turned, Cagney spotted a brick house. As he came closer, he noticed pale flowers growing in the yard, and smoke emitting from the chimney. Upon closer examination, the flowers were far from healthy. They all looked wilted and wrinkled, and Cagney cringed at the sight of them. 

Cagney took a deep breath when he reached the wooden fence, thoughts of turning back still floating through his mind. He pushed the gate, expecting it to be locked, but was surprised to find it open. He walked along the stone path, still staring at the dying flowers around the yard. He so desperately wanted to take them home and give them proper care. _No, that’s not why I’m here._ He shook his head, and continued towards the dark, wooden door. 

His plan was to leave the blanket on the doorstep, leave the yard, throw a stone at the window, and then run as fast as he could back home. 

He got the first bit done, gently setting the blanket on Goopy’s doorstep. However, all other plans were ruined when a light flooded into the shade. He threw his head up quickly, horrified to see a blue slime standing in the doorway. 

He wanted to run, he wanted to escape and never turn back, but he stood there like a deer in headlights. 

Goopy broke the silence, “Cagney? What are you doing here?” Cagney noticed that all previous joy Goopy had in his voice seemed to be gone, replaced by a slightly sad tone. 

“Uh, well, I- I thought I should… return your blanket…” he muttered quietly, straightening himself up and staring at the grass. 

“Oh…” Goopy picked up the folded blanket from the ground. “Thanks…” 

“Yeah…” 

There was a long bit of silence, both seemed to be waiting for something to happen, wanting something to happen. After what seemed like days of standing around, Goopy began to shut the door. 

“Wait, wait!” Cagney exclaimed. “I- I didn’t mean what I said, okay?” Goopy looked at him with wide eyes, re-opening the door. “I’m really sorry… I didn’t… I didn’t want to make you…” 

Cagney must have looked really upset, or something, because Goopy stood aside and gestured toward the entrance of his house. “Want to come inside?” he smiled a bit. 

Reluctantly, Cagney nodded and stepped inside onto the carpeted floor. 

“Huh…” Cagney looked around the house in awe. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but this wasn’t it. It was surprisingly… normal. A living room with a small couch and tiny television, a kitchen, and dining room, and a couple doors here and there. 

“You can go sit down, Cags. My couch is a bit lumpy, but it should be fine.” Goopy said as he hopped towards the small kitchen. Cagney was, though he never imagined he could be, happy to hear Goopy using his nickname. 

“Thanks…” he said as he sat down. The couch was, as Goopy said, slightly uncomfortable. Cagney tried his best to situate himself in a decent position, but no matter where he sat, there was a hard lump. Despite this, when Goopy entered the room again, he didn’t utter a single complaint. 

Cagney now noticed that Goopy carried two cups in his hands. He set them both on the table in front of them, and plopped down next to Cagney. Unlike a few days ago, he didn’t attempt to get too close. 

Another silence followed as the two sat together. It appeared that neither felt comfortable where they sat, but it wasn’t from the array of lumps in the sofa. 

“Look, Goopy…” Cagney spoke up finally, “I didn’t mean to say that stuff… I went too far, and I want to apologize.” 

The carnation didn’t look at Goopy during his apology. Not only was it extremely embarrassing on his part, having to apologize to him, he was slightly scared to see Goopy’s reaction. 

“No, I- I really shouldn’t have bothered you so much… God, I always mess things up!” Goopy argued. 

Cagney looked back at him in surprise. “What do you mean, ‘Always mess things up’?” 

“I mean…” Goopy looked down at the floor, “Whenever I meet someone, I always annoy them… It’s just like you said, nobody could like me, right?" 

Cagney felt a pain in his stem as the slime repeated his words. “No, it’s just… You caught me off guard, alright? I’m…” Cagney debated on whether he should spill his feelings, something he wouldn’t even do to his garden mates. “I’m just not used to people pursuing me like you did. And, to be frank, I get annoyed by everyone, so don’t worry.” 

Goopy’s gaze didn’t leave the floor. “You said you hated me…” 

That same pain again. “Like I said,” Cagney sighed, “I didn’t think about what I was saying. I already said I didn’t mean what I said.” 

“Really? You don’t hate me?” Goopy glanced back to Cagney with sad eyes. Cagney felt his heart beat a bit faster as Goopy stared at him. Something about that vulnerable, sad expression brought a nauseous feeling to his stomach. 

“No, I don’t.” Cagney looked away again. 

A smile grew on Goopy’s face, and he moved closer to Cagney. “See? I told you you’d come around, Cags!” 

“Jeez…” Cagney scowled at Goopy, not even attempting to increase the distance between them.

  


Cagney stayed at Goopy’s house for the next few hours. They chatted for a while, Goopy proudly gave a tour of his “magnificent home”, and Cagney even lectured Goopy about proper flower care, referencing the wilting flowers in the slime’s yard. 

“Well, I’m gonna get going.” Cagney stood up from the flower patch in the yard. 

“Aww, do you have to go?” Goopy whined, pouting at Cagney. 

“Yeah, I have to get home soon… I still have to water my plants and stuff.” 

“That’s sad, but alright. See you later, Cags!” 

“Yep, see you tomorrow.” Cagney waved goodbye as he headed towards the gate. 

“Huh? Tomorrow? You want to see me that soon? I didn’t realize you loved me that much~!" 

“That’s not even close to it. I can’t let you manhandle those poor flowers. You’re coming to my garden for lessons tomorrow.” 

“But you already lectured my ear off today! I think I can handle a bit of gardening…” Goopy huffed. “Though, I can’t refuse an opportunity to spend time with my favorite flower!” 

“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow, Goopy.” 

“See you soon~!” 

  


Cagney hadn’t intended on starting gardening lessons, hell, he hadn’t even planned on talking to Goopy at all that day. _I guess this is life now… Spending time with Goopy Le Grande,_ Cagney thought, and let out a long sigh. 

Boy, did he have a rough time explaining things to the garden residents when he returned. He _was_ gone for four hours, a little much to return a blanket. 

Of course, it ended with Cagney getting angry and flustered, and the garden residents happily muttering to each other. 

_At least he made a friend!_ they all thought with hope. 


	4. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid June

“You did what?!” 

Cagney sighed and looked away from his garden mates. “Look, I can’t just let him kill those flowers. It would be cruel.” 

“I had hopes you would apologize, but weekly lessons? I would never have predicted you would make such an offer!” one exclaimed happily. 

“Gosh, don’t make this weird, alright? He’s coming today for a lesson, and it’s all for the sake of those poor flowers! That’s all!” 

“Golly Cags, we’re so happy you made a friend… This is an extraordinary day!” another cheered, completely ignoring the carnation’s protest. 

“It’s no use…” he muttered, more to himself than the others.Though he would never admit it, he was actually looking forward to Goopy’s lesson, if only a little bit. Sure, Cagney _did_ want to save those doomed flowers, but a part of him wanted to investigate that weird feeling in his stem one more time. He hated it so much, more than anything, but he just couldn’t seem to take his mind off of it. Maybe it was just curiosity, he thought. 

_I probably just pity him..._ he considered, _After what he said about effing up every relationship, how could I not?_ He decided that must be the reason, and shook any other possibilities out of his head. Then again, they had spent time together only yesterday, and Cagney didn’t exactly dislike it… _No, it’s got to be pity._ he affirmed. 

The hours passed slowly as Cagney tidied up his home, quickly watering the flowers and bushes. Finally, he heard the creak of the gate, and a familiar voice calling his name. 

“Cags~! Good afternoon! Lovely day, isn’t it?” Goopy waved to Cagney, and held the blanket under his other arm. 

“I guess so, a little cloudy.” Cagney looked up at the sky, one half a bright, shining blue, and the other filled with dark clouds. 

“Oh, you’re right…” Goopy looked up too, “I hope it doesn’t rain… That’ll really mess up my plans for later…” Goopy complained. He looked over to Cagney, seeming like he wanted the flower to ask about his day. 

Once Cagney noticed the slime’s gaze, he sighed “What are your plans for later?” 

“Well, I _was_ going to train today, but that can be a little difficult with water pouring onto your face…” Goopy laughed a bit. 

Cagney was surprised by Goopy’s answer, expecting something about him going to the store or a stupid pick-up line. He couldn’t imagine the ball of goop exercising, and didn’t see _why_ he would need to. “You train? For what?” he inquired. 

“Oh, I box. Well, not officially, but I train with dummies and punching bags every other day.” He had now set up his blanket, and once again waved for Cagney to come over. 

Without protest, Cagney walked over to his guest. “I can’t see you boxing, honestly.” he said as he sat down. 

“Rude.” Goopy pouted. 

“Ah, no, I mean…” he paused for a second, “You just don’t look like the fighting type. Although, you _do_ have the confidence for it…” 

“If you don’t believe me, you should come watch me train sometime. I was thinkin’ about entering a match over at the Clip Joint, but I’ve heard there’s some tough competition over there, like the frog brothers.” he laughed, “Not that they could take me down, though! I just don’t want to take their glory away.” 

“I believe you, I believe you. Also, those are some pretty confident words coming from someone who has never fought officially.” Cagney smirked a bit. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, do _you_ know how to box, Cags? It sure didn’t seem like you could fight the day we met…” he teased. 

“Shut it. Anyways, we should get to the actual lesson before it starts coming down…” Cagney stood from the spot under the tree, and grabbed up the corner of the blanket. Before Goopy could protest, he began dragging the blanket to a nearby rose patch. 

“Wo- Woah! I can hop, Cags!” Goopy scrambled to grab hold of the fabric. 

“I can’t have you getting your slime on my flowers again. This is the best way to get you from point A to point B.” the carnation explained as he let go of the sheet. 

“Ah... I guess that _does_ make sense…” the slimeball sat back up and brushed himself off, though there was no dirt on him. 

“Alright, so first things first is the soil.” Cagney kneeled down by the patch, and Goopy shifted himself to get a better look. “See how it’s a bit fluffy?” he pointed to the dirt surrounding a particular rose bush. 

“Huh..” Goopy scooted closer to Cagney, causing a shiver to run down the flower’s spine. _Dammit, what the hell?_ Cagney thought flusteredly. Goopy reached out to poke the soft dirt, taking a handful of it and rubbing it around. “You’re right. How do you get it like that?” 

“Oh, um…” he quickly composed himself, “To get the right consistency of soil, you have to till it. You take a hoe, or a pronged cultivator, and run it along the dirt until it’s fluffy. Watch.” Cagney took a tool with three prongs, and began to run it through the dirt, scattering and shuffling it around. _Don’t get distracted, you’re only giving him lessons._

“Oh… Why does the soil have to be like that? Can’t the plant just be in normal dirt?” Goopy inquired. 

“No. If the dirt is too hard, the roots will be choked. The dirt shouldn’t be _too_ loose, but it shouldn’t be super hard either.” the flower explained. 

“Alright, I get it… What about fertilizer and stuff? I heard you’re supposed to use it…” 

“For that, you have to buy a shaker, and watch how many pellets you shake on. If you pour too many, the flower’s will get sick.” 

“How much is too much?” 

The lessons went on for about an hour. Cagney explained soil, how to properly plant a flower and pat down the dirt, how to apply fertilizer, and more. Goopy seemed to enjoy the lessons thoroughly, soaking up the information like a sponge. Luckily, Cagney was able to focus on his teachings during the hour. 

“Alright, that’s enough for today. Besides, you should get home before it starts raining.” Cagney stood up and stretched before grabbing the blanket again. 

“Huh? Oh, wait!” Goopy turned quickly to face Cagney again. “You said we could chat for a bit after the lesson!” 

“Huh? I don’t remember saying that…” Cagney wore a confused look as he searched through his memories for anything like that. He was certain he hadn’t made such an offer, but then again, he _was_ a bit… distracted. 

One of the nearby flowers chimed in, “You did, Cagney! You honestly don’t remember?” She turned to Goopy, and quickly gave him a wink. Goopy smiled widely in return. 

“Really? Ugh, I still don’t think I did… Whatever.” Cagney sighed and picked up the blanket again, dragging it back to the same spot under the tree. 

”Oh boy! I’ve been waiting all day for some quality time with you, Cags~!” Goopy cooed as Cagney trudged to the tree. 

“What the hell are you on about? Unfortunately, we’ve been together for hours…” he groaned as he re-positioned the blanket. 

“Don’t sound so disappointed, Cags… And besides, those were _lessons_ , they aren’t the same as a nice chat with you…” he did that familiar wink that Cagney couldn’t stand. That damn feeling in his stem again. 

“You know what, whatever.” Cagney sat down again, and again Goopy got too close for comfort. The two sat like that for a while, watching the rain clouds get closer. 

“Huh, this is weird…” Goopy said with a puzzled look. 

“What is?” 

“I’ve been sitting this close to you for a while, and you haven’t moved away or gotten angry… Are you alright?” he displayed a look of mock-concern. 

“I just don’t see a point in moving away, you’ll just get closer anyway…” Cagney rolled his eyes and looked away, feeling his face getting warmer. 

“Seems to me like you’re just getting used to me.” Goopy sighed happily, leaning over onto Cagney’s lap. 

Cagney felt himself jump a bit as Goopy rested on his lap. He sat in a stunned silence, not exactly knowing how to react to... this. 

"G- Gee! Would you look at those clouds! You should go home soon, Goopy." he remarked suddenly, standing up and pointing at the incoming storm. He had decided the best way to end the contact was a change of topic. 

_God, what’s wrong with me? That definitely looked weird, springing up like that. God, he’s gonna make a shitty remark, isn’t he?_

Goopy took a second to process what had happened, sitting up slowly, having rolled into the dirt when Cagney rose, and eventually following Cagney’s leaf to the dark sky. 

“Oh, you’re right. I should get home before I get soaked, huh?” he laughed, rubbing his back. “But it seems more worried about me getting wet than I am. You practically flew out of your seat!” he remarked smugly. 

“No, I just don’t want to deal with you whining when it starts-” Cagney stopped when he felt something cold hit his nose, and seconds later some on his petals. 

Within seconds, it was steadily raining, large droplets falling onto both the carnation and the slime. 

“Raining?” Goopy asked, holding out a hand to catch the drops. 

“Yeah, exactly.” 

Cagney watched as people nearby ran to get inside. He heard the old kettle across the road calling in his boys, saying something about a terrible storm approaching. 

Cagney had never really witnessed a _bad_ storm. Sure, it had poured, there had been lightning, but nothing awful. Surprising, considering the residents of Inkwell lived along a shoreline. 

“Huh, did you hear that old guy? Is the storm really gonna get that bad?” Goopy inquired worriedly. 

“If it is, there’s no point standing around and chatting about it! It’s time to get going!” Cagney started shoving Goopy to the exit. He turned back and shouted to his friends, “Everyone, get in the shed for now! I can’t have your petals ripped!” It was pouring now, nearly hard enough to hurt Cagney’s petals. 

“Ah, but what about _you_ , Cags? The rain might hurt you too, if it’s bad, right?” Goopy held himself against the open gate, not letting the carnation pull him out. 

“I’m fine, I’ve always been fine staying in the shed. Look, you have to get home, alright? I’m sure your goop’s gonna get scattered everywhere by that rain!” 

_Jesus, this is some storm!_ Cagney thought angrily, the water definitely hurting now, pelting his thin, frail body. The speed of the rain, and the intensity, had picked up within mere moments, shockingly so. 

“No way, you can’t stay in that tiny shed!” Goopy exclaimed. “I got it, you’ll come to my house!” 

“God, Goopy just go! Fucking hell, ow ow OW!” Cagney yelled, letting go of Goopy’s blanket and covering his head, trying desperately to shield himself from the now bullet-like rain. 

“Are you kidding me?! No, follow me, _now_!” Goopy grabbed one of Cagney’s hands and dragged him to the forest, Cagney cursing like a sailor all the way. 

Once they had reached the trees, Cagney removed his arm from the top of his petals, panting slightly. The rain still continued, but it was only a mild amount now. 

“Shit…” he touched his petals, wincing in pain. 

“Cags…” Goopy loosened his grip on Cagney’s other hand, rubbing it with his thumb. “I’m not letting you back out there. You’re staying at my house, whether you like it or not.” 

Cagney only nodded silently, earning a content smile from Goopy. They both started their walk to the slime’s home, not breaking the hold on each other’s hands. 

Neither talked much until they got home, only occasional remarks from Cagney about the wellbeing of his garden residents, and reassurances from Goopy that they would be just fine. 

Eventually, they arrived at the house, and stepped inside. Both were dripping wet, standing in the entryway of the home. 

“I’ll go get you a towel real quick, Cags, stay right here!” Goopy hopped to a doorway in the living room, seeming not to care about the giant puddles he was creating. 

As Goopy searched for clean towels, Cagney contemplated his current predicament. _Why the hell was I so weak?_ he wondered angrily. _It was just water, dammit… Now I have to stay at his house, and rely on him… Dammit...What if the shed is destroyed? What if they try to come and find me? What if..?_

Luckily, Goopy returned to save Cagney from those harmful thoughts. He handed him a beige towel, which Cagney gently took with a “Thank you.” He dried himself off carefully, making sure to not pull on his petals. Admittedly, he had never really used a towel for anything, he had always dried himself in the sun, or just shook off excess water. 

Though different than what he was used to, the towel still felt very soft, and even slightly warm. It was quite the pleasant feeling for Cagney. 

Once he had finished, he handed the towel back to Goopy, who had finished drying himself a few seconds ago. 

“Alright, Cags! This is going to be fun! You can just sit down on the couch, and then we can watch TV or something.” he said as he went to hang the towels in the bathroom. 

“Okay.” Cagney sat down, once again uncomfortable on the lumpy sofa. Although, anything beat being pelted by the harsh rain. 

Goopy returned shortly, taking a seat next to Cagney. He reached for the remote on the coffee table, and flicked on the device. Cagney had never watched a TV, but he had heard of them. Small boxes that displayed moving pictures and played audio. 

The carnation watched in awe as a man in a bowler hat talked on screen to a woman with a bow in her hair. They were saying something about the man leaving, giving each other tender goodbyes. 

Goopy took notice of Cagney’s silent amazement, “So, have you ever watched a television before?” 

Cagney realized quickly how stupid he must look, gawking at the screen like that. “Oh, no. I haven’t…” 

“Well, it’s a great way to waste time… There’s only a couple of channels. I think there’s the news, cartoons on Saturdays, and some movies and shows. These actors are pretty good, huh?” 

“Yeah, I guess they are. Wait, you said there’s a news channel? Do they talk about the weather at all?” Cagney inquired hopefully. 

“You know, I think they do… I’ll check.” Goopy picked up the remote again and pressed a button. A few channels flickered on screen for a split second, and Cagney could only make out about a frame of each, until a weatherman appeared. “Oh, perfect! They’re talking about Inkwell right now!” 

“That’s convenient…” 

“The storm is growing stronger still, with high winds and large drops. It is expected to die down tomorrow morning, and end completely tomorrow afternoon.” reported the well-dressed man on screen. 

“Tomorrow morning?!” Cagney exclaimed, “I can’t leave them that long!” 

“Whoa, Cags, calm down! They’re gonna be fine!” Goopy patted Cagney’s leg. 

“Will… Will they, though? I’ve never left them alone at night…” 

“Cagney, what could possibly happen to them? They’re pretty smart flowers, you know. I’m sure they can handle themselves for one night…” 

“I… I guess you’re probably right…” Cagney’s muscles relaxed again, and he sunk into the couch. 

“See? It’s going to be fine. And, you get to spend the night with your favorite guy!” 

“Oh, who would that be? Do you have another guest I don’t know about?” Cagney teased. 

“Oh you can’t pretend, you know you love me~!” Goopy pressed up against Cagney. 

“Do not. Anyways, what are we gonna do all night? It’s only 5:00..” 

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got a plan...” Goopy smirked at Cagney, winking again. 

_What… What kind of plan?_


	5. The Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid June

“You should be excited, Cags! I have quite the lovely schedule set up for tonight!” 

“More scared than excited, if I’m being honest…” 

Cagney and Goopy sat together on the lumpy, old sofa in Goopy’s living room, occasionally glancing at the flickering TV as they chatted. Cagney was still dumbfounded by how he entered this situation; having a sleepover with Goopy Le Grande. 

“Aww, no need to be scared! You’re going to have a great time, I guarantee it!” Goopy assured, giving the carnation a thumbs up. 

“I doubt it… So, you said you had a schedule?” Cagney inquired. 

“Oh, yes! So, first things first is dinner. We’re gonna have- Oh wait,” he interrupted himself, “do you even eat Cagney?” 

“Uh, I hardly ever do, but I am capable of eating. It doesn’t give me any energy or anything, it just tastes good.” he explained. 

“Oh. Where does the food go? Do you have a stomach?” 

“I.. I don’t think I do? I have no idea.” Cagney looked down at his stem, as if he’d be able to see inside. 

“This conversation is slightly unsettling. Let’s move on.” Goopy looked away, pretending to be uncomfortable. 

“Agreed.” 

“So, dinner, if you want it, will be sandwiches in the dining room. Afterwards, I’ll take a shower, and you can watch TV. When that’s over-” 

“Wait, you shower?” Cagney interrupted. 

“Huh? Yeah, of course.” Goopy looked just as confused as Cagney did. 

“Well, I didn’t think you’d need to, you’re a slime after all…” 

“I don’t need to, I guess, but I like to. Just like you and eating, it just feels nice.” 

“If that’s the case, why do it while I’m here? It’s just a pleasure thing, right?” 

“Ah, well… Yeah, but it’s still nice to do it every night.” Goopy looked slightly nervous explaining, but Cagney decided to ignore it. 

“Alright, sorry to interrupt the telling of your extraordinary schedule, you may continue.” 

“ _Lovely_ schedule. But anyways, after TV, we can go to bed. I have one bed, but it’s big enough for both of us.” he smirked at that last bit, and Cagney felt his stomach drop. 

“Share a bed? Look, I know I’m a guest in your home, and I really appreciate you letting me stay here, but I’ll just sleep on the floor if it’s all the same to you.” Cagney stated, not making eye contact with the slime. 

During this entire conversation, Goopy had still remained snuggled up next to Cagney, and Cagney hadn’t really made an attempt to move. For some reason, now, he wanted to be as far from him as possible. 

“Oh, is there a reason you don’t want to share a bed~?” Goopy moved even closer to Cagney, causing the flower to tremble slightly. 

“I just don’t want to sleep with you, is all.” He realized immediately after saying those words how badly they were phrased. A smile grew even wider on Goopy’s face. 

“Oh Cags, it’s nothing like that! It’s just sharing a bed, get your mind outta the gutter!” he teased. 

“You know what I meant! And who’s the one here with a dirty mind?” he asked flusteredly. Thankfully, Cagney was still looking away from Goopy, keeping his bright red face hidden. 

“Well, I’m afraid there isn’t much else to do. There isn’t enough floor room, and the couch would be impossible to sleep a wink on.” 

_Why am I getting so flustered? It’s just sharing a bed, it’s not a big deal! You’ll never hear the end of it if you make a big deal out of this!_

“You know what, fine. I guess I’d rather share a bed with you than stay on this couch…” he shuffled himself off of a particularly large lump to prove his point. 

“That’s what I like to hear! So, we should get started on dinner, huh? It’ll only take a couple minutes to make,” Goopy jumped off the sofa and headed towards the kitchen, “So you can just sit down at the dining room table until it’s ready, unless you want to help.” Goopy was now in the kitchen, searching for sandwich ingredients. 

“I guess I’ll help.” Cagney sighed a bit as he stood, walking into the small white kitchen. He looked around, what he assumed were normal appliances filled the room. He hadn’t been in a kitchen before either, but he had heard, and even seen pictures, of them. This one wasn’t nearly as large as those pictures, Goopy wasn’t rich after all. 

“So, do you think you could get the dishes and drinks? The plates and cups are on the first cupboard to your left, and drinks are in the fridge.” 

“Oh, sure.” Cagney reached down to the low cupboard and searched for plates and cups. He found them quickly, grabbing two of each and placing them in an open spot on the counter. 

He noticed how everything was very low. He knew that most cupboards were mounted on walls, but Goopy’s all seemed to be close to the floor, as was his counter. 

“Hey Goopy?” Cagney asked as he made his way to the small fridge. 

“Yes, Cags?” 

“Why is everything in here so low?” he looked around the room, as if to gesture at the smaller-than-average appliances. 

“Well, dear Cags, I’m what you might call ‘short’.” he ran a hand down his body, showcasing his small stature to the tall flower. 

“Yeah, I know you are. I mean, how did you get it all to be short? Don’t houses usually come with built-in kitchens?” 

“It did when I bought it, but I paid a guy to come in and fix it for me. I tried with that tall kitchen thing for a few weeks, but having to hop on the counter every time I want a cup gets a little annoying.” 

“Huh. Weird.” Cagney went back to searching the fridge for drinks, finding a bottle of dark soda, a carton of milk, and even some bottles of beer. He pulled out the milk, putting it down next to the cups on the counter. 

“Is milk okay?” he asked, holding the carton above the plastic cups. 

“Oh yeah, sounds good!” Goopy had now plated the sandwiches, and picked them up to bring them to the table. Cagney followed with the two cups of milk. 

They both sat down after they had set the table, though the chair was a bit low for Cagney. He sat with his knees against his chest, trying his best not to make a big deal about the tiny seats. 

“Man, you’re really big, aren’t you Cagney?” Goopy looked at him with envy. 

“I guess I am… For a flower, anyway.” he now tried to shove his legs back under the table, to no avail.

Goopy took notice of Cagney’s struggle, “Hey, no need to hide your legs there. Personally, I love to see them!” he winked. 

“Gross.” they were now completely hidden, bent at the chair’s sides. 

“You know what _isn’t_ gross? This dinner! Go ahead, try it!” he picked up the sandwich and took a large bite, attempting to show his guest just how good the food was. 

The flower hesitantly picked up the thick sandwich. He wasn’t able to see everything that was inside of it, and he hadn’t eaten anything in at least a few months, so he was slightly nervous to taste it. He hesitantly took a small nibble.

“Huh, it _is_ good, surprisingly.” he said after swallowing the small bite. 

“What do you mean, ‘surprisingly’?” Goopy asked in an overly-offended tone. 

“It's just... Based on the stuff in your fridge, you don’t seem like you cook much…” 

“It’s just a sandwich, Cags, I don’t think it can be considered ‘cooking.'" Goopy spoke between bites. "I've noticed something, though." 

"What is it?" 

"You don't know a lot about house stuff, do you?" 

“Um, well..." Cagney was surprised by Goopy's comment. He had never really thought about life in a house before. Why would he? "It’s not like I’ve ever lived in a house! Besides, I know enough to get me by, I don’t need to be an expert on how people interact in houses…” 

“Hit a bit close to home, huh? Sorry about that.” Goopy went back to eating, almost finished with his food now. 

“You did not, I’m just explaining, is all.” he huffed. 

“Heh, I’m just kidding Cags.” 

 

They didn’t really talk anymore while they ate, both too focused on the meals on their plates. Cagney didn’t know a sandwich could taste this good, though he had never tried one before. 

They both finished relatively quickly and placed their dishes in the sink. Goopy announced that he would go off to take his shower, and Cagney sat down to watch TV. 

Left alone in the living room, and finally having a few minutes of quiet, thoughts of Goopy consumed Cagney’s mind again. _So, he’s in there showering, huh? Does it really feel that nice? Apparently, people get naked when they shower… Come to think, Goopy’s always naked, isn’t he…? I don’t see any clothes on him… Weird. Goopy all together is weird. He makes me nauseous… Why does me make me that way? He’s not disgusting, or anything, just annoying… Do I hate him…? No, I don’t. Why? I should hate him. I hate everyone. I should especially hate him. Why am I in his living room, listening to his TV? All in the span of a month, such crazy shit happened. Why, why, why?_

Before he was able to reach a conclusion, Cagney was interrupted by a faint sound. 

_A... song?_

It was off-key and poorly sung. He assumed it had come from the television, and turned it off. The song was still there. 

“What is that?” he muttered, standing up. He followed the annoying sound, leading him to the bathroom door. 

_Is Goopy… Singing?”_

He pressed his ear to the door to get a better listen, and, indeed, he recognized Goopy’s voice. He sang loudly, but Cagney couldn’t quite make out the words. 

“....you….special….love….” 

Cagney sat there for what seemed like forever, trying to listen to the melody. He himself wasn't quite sure _why_ he was so interested in Goopy's singing; it couldn't even be considered pleasant. 

_This is weird. This is weird. This is weird…_ he thought, now sitting on the floor, back against the wall next to the door. 

It was nearly 7:00 PM now, and Cagney was getting unusually tired. The sounds of splashing water, the hum of the bathroom fan, and Goopy’s song, despite being out of tune, seemed to put him right to sleep. 

 

He woke up, probably a few minutes later, to the sound of the water shutting off. In a sleepy daze, he managed to quickly scramble back to the couch, and nearly drop the remote as he turned to turn the TV back on. He finished up just in time, luckily, as he looked completely natural when Goopy came out of the restroom. 

“Ah, that felt great! You doing okay out here, Cags? Sorry it took so long.” he apologized, throwing his towel into a laundry basket in the corner. 

“Yep, fine.” he responded quickly. 

“Oh, good. Alrighty, you ready for a great movie showcase?” he hopped onto the couch as he said this, once again snuggling against Cagney. 

“Oh, right. What are we watching?” 

“I don’t remember the name, but it’s this romance film. It’s a little old, but it’s really good!” he explained excitedly. 

“Ugh, romance?” Cagney groaned. He had never been a huge fan of all that lovey-dovey stuff. Whenever couples walked by his garden, holding hands and whispering in each other's ears, he felt the overwhelming desire to throw rocks at their heads, and nearly did at times. 

“Sugar and ice again, not liking romance!” Goopy laughed, flicking through channels to find the movie. 

“God, would you quit calling me that…?” Cagney muttered. 

“You’ll like this one, okay? Even if you hate the romance thing, which I doubt you do, the actor is pretty cute.” 

“Why should I care what the actor looks like? Aren’t you supposed to pay attention to the plot when you watch a movie?” 

“You didn’t deny that the actor is attractive.” 

“I haven’t seen him yet, but I still won’t care what he looks like…” 

“So, looks aren’t important to you? Oh, here it is!” he set the remote back on the table, and settled himself again between the couch lumps. 

“I mean, I guess they aren’t. But I don’t care for that love stuff in the first place.” Cagney explained, half-watching the movie credits. 

“You don’t? Have you ever dated anyone?” 

“No, of course not.” 

“No- No way! Someone had asked you out, though, right?” Goopy looked utterly surprised now, not even looking at the TV screen. 

“No.” 

“That’s impossible! You’re an adult right, not a kid? How can nobody have asked you out on a date?” 

Cagney huffed, “Let me ask, have you been asked out?” 

“Huh? Oh, no…” Goopy looked down at the floor sheepishly. 

“Hmph.” 

“You can say more than that, you know? I was at least surprised when you told me!" 

“Look, no offense, but I’m really not surprised. You said you never succeeded with a friendship, so I can’t imagine you succeeding with a romantic relationship.” he tried to explain carefully, not wanting to see Goopy get upset. 

“Yeah, I did say that… So, neither of us have dated anyone, huh?” 

“Guess not.” Cagney responded flatly. 

There was a short lull in the conversation, neither party wanting to admit anything more. 

“Would you want to?” Goopy asked, without looking at Cagney. 

Cagney had never really thought about it before, dating someone. What would he even do? Did he even like anyone like that? He couldn’t remember a time in his life where he had. What did “love” feel like in the first place? 

“I mean, I don’t know. Probably not, I guess…” 

“You don’t know?” 

“Ugh, no, I don’t!” Cagney threw his head back onto the back of the sofa. 

“Maybe… You should try finding out?” 

That feeling, for what must have been the hundredth time that day, came flooding back into Cagney’s stomach. 

“What- What does that mean?” 

“Maybe you should date someone, see how it feels. Some people never want to date, they try it and don’t like it, but a lot of the time you have to try something before you can really know how you feel.” Goopy explained. 

“And how exactly would I go about that? There isn’t a person in Inkwell I’d _ever_ want to date!” 

Goopy’s gaze hit the floor again. “Oh…” he said. 

Cagney took notice of this, and despite his conscience, ignored it. The two didn’t speak for a while, watching the movie in silence. 

_Did I upset him? I mean, I was just being honest…_

About an hour into the film, Cagney felt Goopy becoming heavier against his body. At first, he just assumed he was just leaning against him more, but eventually, the slime lay limp in his lap. 

_Is he sleeping?_ the flower thought, his face slowly turning red. He gently reached over Goopy and turned off the TV. He sat still for a while, not quite knowing what to do. 

_Should I put him in bed? I can hear him snoring… But I don’t want to wake him, either…_

He decided, eventually, that the best course of action was to pick Goopy up, gently as possible, and carry him to his bed. 

Carefully, Cagney lifted the dozing slime into his leaves, slowly standing and heading towards a door. Luckily, he found the bedroom quickly, and made sure to make no noise entering the room. Navigating in a dark,. unfamiliar room with a heavy slimeball in your hands is just as difficult as it sounds, but somehow Cagney managed to succeed in laying Goopy in bed. 

He slowly shut the door again, and felt along the floor until he reached the soft bed. He crawled in, covering himself and his bedmate with the thick blanket. 

_God, I’m sleeping with someone._ he thought as he scooted himself to the edge of the bed, making certain not to touch Goopy. Despite the slime's size, the bed was relatively normal sized. It felt extremely soft and warm, and Cagney found himself dozing off quickly. He never thought he’d be able to sleep that night, lying next to Goopy. 

Sure enough, though, Cagney slept through the night, more peacefully than he ever had before. 

 

\----- 

 

_It’s… warm?_

Cagney took a few seconds to open his eyes, his senses overloaded. There was bright light, something soft beneath him, and something smooth and warm against his stem. He heard a faint noise, it sounded vocal. 

When he finally did fully awaken, he still took a bit to process his current situation. He found himself staring at a white ceiling, and then at blue blankets covering his body. He took a good look around the room, eventually remembering where he was. _Oh, right. I’m in his bed…_ he thought groggily. 

Even after a few minutes of this, he still hadn’t taken into account the large lump laying against him. When he did finally notice, he knew immediately what it was. 

_What the hell?! How long has he been sleeping like this?!_ he asked himself frantically, looking at the lump in the blankets that must have been Goopy. 

Cagney didn’t get to appreciate the moment too long, though, as the slime next to him started to stir. 

_Good God here it comes…_ he dreaded Goopy’s response to the two of them sleeping together like that. Cagney could only imagine what kinds of shit would pour out of his mouth when the slime woke up. 

“Hnn… Huh..? Oh, hey Cags…” he opened one eye, and looked up at Cagney. He smiled gently, looking very peaceful. How is he not concerned about what's happening right now? 

_Don’t freak out, don’t freak out, don’t freak out…_

“You- You finally woke up.” Cagney said bluntly, sitting up to make his way out of the bed. He tried to leave, pulling the sheets from his body, but Goopy grabbed one of his leaves. 

“C’mon… Don’t go yet…” he whined, hardly gripping the leaf. 

_Dear God don’t do this._

“I gotta get home, Goopy," he sighed, "my buddies are waiting for me, and it looks like it stopped raining.” He now got fully out of the covers and stared out the bedroom window, still blushing slightly. 

“You sound disappointed.” Goopy smirked, seeming to be much more awake now. 

“I’m not. Anyways, thank you for letting me stay here for the night… But I really have to get home now.” he headed towards the door, opening it and stepping into the living room. 

Goopy followed slowly, hopping out of bed and out the door. “At least stay for breakfast!” 

“I don’t need to eat anyways. C’mon, I spent the whole night here, I want to go home…” Cagney groaned. 

“Please, Cags? I have coffee!” the slime was practically begging the flower now. 

_Dammit, I can’t say no, can I?_

“Ugh, alright. One cup.” he smiled a bit, but his expression was nothing compared to Goopy’s. 

“Yesss! I knew you’d stay! I’ll get it ready, you just take a seat at the table!” he called as he ran to the kitchen. 

Cagney sat again at the short table and gazed out the window at the rain-covered trees. Everything was shining, the sunlight reflecting off of the countless drops of rain. It looked like things had cleared up earlier than predicted. 

_How on earth am I going to explain things to them? They’re sure to make a big deal out of this…_

“Alrighty, Cags!” Goopy entered the room again, carrying two mugs of coffee, “Here’s your drink!” He set one down in front of the carnation, and walked to his seat. 

“Oh, thanks.” Cagney picked it up, and took a sip. “Shit!” he spit the coffee back into the cup, and hissed in pain. “That’s hot as hell!” 

“Of course it is, it’s coffee. You haven’t had it before, huh?” Goopy laughed. 

“No, I guess not… Why would people drink something that’ll burn their tongue off?” he asked angrily. He set the cup down, as if to show that he didn’t intend on drinking it anymore. 

“You let it _cool_ first. Man, you really don’t know _anything_ about this kind of stuff… Makes sense I suppose,” he took a sip of the coffee, “you do live in a garden.” 

“Like I said yesterday, I don’t need to know.” 

“Jeez, I sure am learning a lot about you. We had quite the bonding experience last night, didn’t we?” 

“I don’t know if you’d call it that…” Cagney looked back towards the window. 

“Oh, I would. I learned that you know close to nothing about domestic life, you haven’t dated anyone, how your digestive system _might_ work, and that you like to cuddle!” he giggled. 

“I do _not_ like to cuddle! You’re the one who fell asleep on me, _twice_!” he exclaimed, turning to face Goopy again. 

“Twice?” 

_Oh shit, he doesn’t remember the movie?_

“Yeah, you… You fell asleep on me during the movie…” he explained. 

“Did I? And you were sweet enough to bring me to my bed~?” he cooed. 

“Well, you were on top of me, what the hell else was I supposed to do?” he said, “And besides, I learned some stuff about you too! You like to sing in the shower, and you specially paid someone to have your house made for short people.” he grinned slightly. 

“Singing? You heard that…?” he asked, looking slightly embarrassed. 

“Yeah, it was a little loud.” 

“Oh. Uh, did you hear the song?” 

“Not really, I didn’t try to listen.” Cagney lied. 

“Oh, good. I mean, I hope I didn’t bother you.” 

“Not particularly.” he shrugged. 

“Hmm. So, even you admit that we bonded! Ah, what a great night that was!” he sang, switching right back to the original topic. 

“Did not. But now I gotta go for real.” he stood up from the small chair, “Thank you for letting me stay here, Goopy.” 

“Aww, you have to go? Tell me you had fun, though!” 

He sighed, “Guess I did.” 

“Yay!” Goopy cheered, and waved to Cagney. “I’ll see you next week for gardening lessons!” 

“Yeah… see you then.” Luckily, Cagney was out the door. Better to hide his growing blush. 

 

_Damn rain..._


	6. The Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid July

“God, why is he taking so long?” Cagney sat under his garden tree, tapping his leaves impatiently. 

Goopy, strangely enough, was running very late. He hardly ever missed a minute of a lesson, in fact, he was usually there early. For the last month, he had arrived on time every single day. 

Nothing had really happened between the two for a while now, at least, nothing out of the ordinary. The same antics of teasing, discomfort (on Cagney’s end), and general conversation. 

“Cagney, it’s alright. I’m sure he’s fine.” a flower reassured him. 

“I’m not worried about him, I’m just peeved that he’s so late. It’s been 20 minutes!” he exclaimed angrily. 

“Well, even if that was true, I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” the flower laughed, earning a scowl from Cagney. 

_Really, what is taking him so long? This isn’t like him, being late. Did something actually happen?_ Cagney considered, feeling the slightest bit of nausea at the thought of Goopy getting hurt. No, there’s no way. He’s fine… He’s fine… 

Cagney sat there for another 10 or so minutes, trying his best to push all of the horrible scenarios Goopy could be in out of his head. 

He heard his gate opening, and looked to see Goopy pushing it open, panting loudly. Cagney immediately stood, and ran over to Goopy. 

“What the hell? Why’d you take so long to get here? Are you okay?” he asked, his voice shifting between anger and concern. 

“Yeah… I’m fine… don’t worry, Cags…” he sighed between sharp breaths. “You sound like… you’re really worried.” he gave a weak laugh. 

“I- I… Just come sit down.” he dragged Goopy over to the tree, and then went to grab the blanket from his shed. The two had decided it best to just leave the blanket at the garden, as it was only really used there. 

He laid it out gently, and Goopy plopped down on it. He seemed to have caught his breath now, but was still visibly tired. 

Cagney sat down next to him, and asked, “So? What happened?” 

“I’m really sorry Cags, I got caught up in my training and lost track of time... “ he explained sheepishly. 

“Jeez, you really had me worr-” he caught himself before he finished, but it was too late. Goopy smiled widely at Cagney. 

“Aww, Cags! You don’t need to be worried about me!” he exclaimed in mock embarrassment. 

“I didn’t- Ugh, whatever. Look, just keep a closer watch on the time, alright? I don’t think we’ll even have time for our lesson now.” 

“Really? That’s unfortunate…” 

“It’s your fault, don’t act so surprised.” Cagney rolled his eyes. 

“I already apologized…” he pouted. 

“I know… But you really like boxing _that_ much?” Cagney raised an eyebrow, “I can’t understand why.” 

“Yes, I do love it _that_ much! Fighting just makes me feel so… powerful!” he beamed, “Not only that, but it just gives me this rush, and it just feels so satisfying, and-” 

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Cagney interrupted. 

“Say, Cags, have you ever done anything like boxing?” 

“Huh? No, I guess not.” It’s not like Cagney had a _reason_ to learn a fighting technique, after all, Inkwell was a pretty safe place. 

“You know, it might be a good idea to learn, based on what I’ve seen of your fighting skills.” he smiled smugly, chuckling a bit. 

“Hey, you _slipped_ out of my vines, okay? Most people can’t do that.” he argued in a huff. 

“Wait, did you just admit that I defeated you?” 

“You didn’t _defeat_ me, you _evaded_ me.” 

“The fact still stands that I bested you! Anyways, you should still, at the very least, get an _idea_ of how to fight someone.” 

“I already do, I can just-” 

“Oh!” Goopy suddenly exclaimed, startling Cagney, “I just got an _amazing_ idea!” 

“Wh-What?” 

“You can come watch me train! You could learn the basics of boxing, and I could show off my skills to my favorite flower! It’s a win-win!” he explained, voice full of excitement. 

“Didn’t you say a while ago that you wanted me to go watch one? It sounds really boring.” he rested his head on his knees, examining the grass in front of him. 

“It won’t be boring, Cags, I promise! I come to your gardening lessons every week, so can’t you come to one of my training sessions?” 

“The gardening lessons are actually _helping_ you, though. Watching you smack around a punching bag won’t help me any.” 

“Hmph, fair point, but I don’t come here just to learn about gardening, obviously.” 

“Unfortunately, I’m well aware of that.” 

Goopy pouted slightly, “Don’t be mean! You know you love it when I come by!” 

“I’m not gonna even try to respond to that.” he rolled his eyes. _Of course I don’t_ love _it. It’s nothing like that._

"Cags, please! You haven’t been to my house in months!” he was whining louder now, basically begging the carnation to attend the boxing session. 

Cagney let out a long groan and sunk lower into his knees. “Jeez, if you’re gonna keep whining about it, I’ll go.” 

“Yes! I knew I could convince you!” he cheered, “You just can’t say ‘no’ to this face, can you?” he tried his best to pull out a charming smile, and Cagney once again experienced that feeling he hated so much. 

“That’s- That’s hardly it. I just don’t want to listen to you whine all day.” he asserted, keeping his face buried in his petals. 

“Sure, whatever you say…” 

 

\-----

 

“This is gonna be so dumb…” Cagney muttered as he approached his gate the next morning. It was a bright, sunshine-filled day, and it seemed that the breeze was singing a lovely song, in tune with the nearby birds. The weather seemed to reflect how the carnation felt, going to spectate at one of Goopy Le Grande’s training sessions. 

For reasons he couldn’t quite figure out, Cagney was looking forward to this. The previous evening, he found himself eagerly watching the sun set, and like a school-age kid waiting for a field trip, he couldn’t get himself to sleep that night. 

_This is gonna be boring. What else could it be? Watching him exercise… How could that be entertaining?_ He thought as he walked to the forest entrance, remembering clearly the path to the small house. 

_I mean, I just don’t see what enjoyment I would find watching him smack into a bag of sand… I guess it could be… interesting, seeing him actually doing something worthwhile. All he ever does is cling to me and flirt… Though, I still can’t imagine him actually fighting someone._

Before he knew it, Cagney had arrived at the familiar yard. He examined the flowers in the garden and was overjoyed to find that they seemed to be much healthier than they had been months ago. It seemed Goopy was actually paying attention during the lessons. 

Cagney walked up to the door, gave a quick knock, and within seconds was met by Goopy. 

"Cags, great to see you! You excited?” he asked eagerly, stepping outside into the grass. He had a water bottle in his hand, and two large boxing gloves under his arm. 

“Far from, I have to say.” he responded coldly. 

“Come on, you’re gonna love this. I bet you can’t wait to see my skill!” 

“Skill?” Cagney asked, letting a small smile cross his face. 

“Don’t make comments before you’ve seen me in action! Anyways, without further ado, please follow me to my backyard!” he held out a hand to gesture to a path beside his house, which Cagney assumed led to said backyard. 

He rolled his eyes and headed towards the path, walking alongside Goopy. 

The backyard was a large clearing surrounded by trees, with little patches of sunshine dancing between the leaves. The yard was mostly empty, save for a punching bag with heavy weights covering its bottom. 

“Wow…” Cagney muttered, looking around the area. It was actually very… serene. Much better than he expected it to be, at least. 

“You like it? I gotta say, this little space is the main reason I bought this house. I mean, it’s just such a lovely place.” 

“I guess it’s nice…” Cagney kept looking around until his eyes rested on a particular tree. The trunk of it was dented and splintered, with a considerable amount of grass missing in the front of it. 

Goopy hopped to a large rock off to the side of the yard and began adorning his gloves. 

“Hey, Goopy?” Cagney asked, Goopy looking up in response, “What’s with that tree?” he pointed to it. 

“Oh, I practice on that sometimes. The bag can get a lil’ boring.” 

“Huh… Doesn’t that kill the tree?” Cagney’s voice was tinged with concern. 

“I guess so, but it’s still got a while. I doubt I’ll break through it anytime soon.” he laughed a bit. 

“I guess not…” 

“Alrighty!” Goopy hopped up and over to the punching bag, “Time to get started!” 

Cagney sat down in the grass, a good distance from Goopy’s area. He didn’t expect much from Goopy, but he’d rather not risk getting knocked in the face by a poorly aimed punch. 

Goopy shifted himself a little, standing still in the grass for a second, before swiftly pounding the punching bag. Many more punches followed, rapidly hitting the shaking bag. Cagney, despite himself, watched with his mouth gaping. He expected Goopy to be slow, and soft-hitting, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. 

This went on for a few minutes before the slime stopped, breathing a bit unevenly. He turned to Cagney, smiling widely, “How was _that_?” 

“It… It was, um… Definitely not what I expected.” he answered, utterly confused by what he had just witnessed. 

“See, I told you I was good!” he hopped over to the water bottle he had set down and took a long drink. 

“I didn’t think you’d _actually_ be able to box decently,” Cagney remarked, having now regained his composure, “but it’s not like I have anything to compare you to.” 

“That’s a tad rude, but I’m glad I was able to prove myself to you. You think better of me now?” 

“Not trying to be rude, you just don’t look like someone who can fight well. And no, I’m afraid my opinion of you has not improved any.” he shrugged. 

“ _Excuse me_ Mr. Carnation, but who was it who won in our battle months ago?” Goopy questioned smugly. 

“I don’t think you remember that all too well. It was hardly a ‘battle’.” he shook his head, as if trying to prove his stance on the subject. 

“As I said earlier, I still bested you.” 

“Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky you’re so slippery, or I would have beat you into the dirt.” 

"Sure, Cagney. As if you could beat ." he gestured posed his fist above his head, striking a confident pose. 

"Oh, I'm _certain_ I could." 

Goopy giggled, clearly pleased with the carnation’s reaction. He turned back to his punching bag again and restarted his training. 

Cagney watched intently for about 20 minutes, with Goopy going to fetch more water every so often. Little chats dotted the breaks, and Cagney found himself actually enjoying his time in the clearing. 

After a while, Goopy sat down next to Cagney, finishing off his water bottle and crumpling it up in his hands. 

“Alright, Cags! Did you enjoy the show?” he asked, seeming slightly out of breath. 

“Meh, I’ve seen better.” he smirked. 

“You have not! Just admit that I did well!” he exclaimed in mock anger. 

“Fine, you did _okay_.” 

“Good enough for me!” 

The two of them sat in the grass for a bit while Goopy cooled down, both seemingly enjoying the peaceful noises of the forest. Cagney closed his eyes for a moment, appreciating the light breeze blowing against his petals. 

“Hey, Cags?” Goopy broke the silence. 

“Yeah?” he opened his eyes again and looked down at Goopy. 

“I wanna show you how to throw a punch.” he sat up, and hopped to the punching bag again, beckoning Cagney to follow. 

“Goopy, I told you already, I don’t need to learn to box. I can strangle people with my vines, you know.” he asserted, staying put in his spot. 

“But I _want_ to teach you! Even if you don’t really use it, it’ll be fun to teach you something.” 

“Why? That doesn’t make any sense.” 

“‘Cause, you’re always teaching me how to take care of flowers, so I wanna show you how to knock someone out!” 

“Sounds like quite an uneven exchange, if you ask me.” 

“C’mon Cags, it’ll be fun! You don’t even have to try that hard, if you don’t want!” 

“Goopy, I don’t feel like boxing.” 

“Cags.” Goopy stepped closer, “Cags” louder this time, “ _Cags!_ ” He continued chanting the carnation’s name, until he eventually stood up, letting out an extremely loud groan, and trudged to the punching bag. 

“There we go! I knew you could do it!” Goopy cheered as Cagney walked past him, picking up the pair of boxing gloves off the ground. 

“If it’ll get you to shut up, I’ll do whatever you want.” Cagney grumbled. He positioned himself in front of the punching bag, not really knowing what to do with his arms and legs. 

“Now, don’t say that, or I’ll get ideas. But, at least I know now how to get you to do stuff!” Goopy giggled, standing behind Cagney. 

“Don’t be creepy.” Cagney muttered, getting ready to punch the bag. 

Goopy grabbed his leg before Cagney could make contact, “No, no, Cags. Your stance is all wrong.” Goopy moved forward, standing next to a sour looking Cagney. 

“See, I don’t have legs, so I’m not too sure about stance and all, but I’ve heard it should be wide and low.” Cagney grumbled a bit, and spread his legs apart, lowering him slightly towards the ground. 

“That looks about right. Now, when you punch, you have to twist your body into it. Throw yourself into the punch! Like this!” Goopy made a motion, similar to what he had been doing earlier. 

“Alright…” Cagney twisted his stem, and quickly spun back, smacking the glove into the bag. It was much harder than he had expected, and he found his fist hurting afterwards. Of course, he would never admit that to Goopy. 

“There you go!” Goopy cheered, “I’m proud of ya, Cags!” 

“All I did was punch something, Goopy.” 

“Hey, punching things can be harder than you’d think.” 

“Maybe for you, shortstack.” 

“Rude! My size is quite the benefit in a fight, you walking lamp post!” 

 

They continued to throw playful insults at each other, and Goopy even showed Cagney how to pack a bit more power into his hits. The session ended with Cagney laying back in the grass, trying to hide the fact that he was rubbing the pain out of his fists. 

 

“Gosh, I think I’m gonna pass out.” Cagney muttered, collapsed in the soft grass. 

“Just from that? You gotta get stronger, Cags.” Goopy joined him, resting on top of Cagney’s stem. 

“Goopy, get 'offa me. You’re heavy…” Cagney fussed, giving the slime a weak push. 

In response, Goopy just wrapped his arms around Cagney’s stem and pulled himself in closer, causing the other party to go stiff. Despite this, Cagney didn’t make any more comments. It seemed that Goopy took this is as a sign of acceptance, or defeat. 

 

“Hey, Goopy?” Cagney broke the short silence, thinking over everything he had seen Goopy do today. 

“Yeah?” Goopy glanced up at Cagney from his stem. 

“You know how you said you wanted to fight over at the Clip Joint?” 

“Yeah, what about it?” 

He debated on whether he should make his next comment. The last thing he wanted was to give Goopy a reason to tease him. 

“You really should…” 

“You- You think so?” Goopy seemed surprised at Cagney’s suggestion. “I couldn’t, you know… Those frogs over there have a long winning streak.” 

“Oh, please, you could kick those frogs’ asses.” _Did I really just compliment him?_

“That’s… I mean, thanks, Cags.” a small smile grew on his face, and nestled himself back into a curve in Cagney’s stem. 

Eventually, a tranquil silence took over the yard, and both closed their eyes peacefully. 

The two fell asleep there, the sleepy sounds of the forest, the gentle breeze, the slightly warm air… All of these components seemed to lull them into a light slumber. When reflecting on this later, Cagney decided that he had never had a more pleasant sleep. 

 

\----- 

 

Among the mix of regular sounds that could be found in the forest, a small groan could be heard. It seemed to come from the oversized flower lying in the grass. 

“Hn…” Cagney grumbled quietly, seeing a soft light against the back of his eyelids. Upon opening his eyes, though this took him a little while, he found his surroundings covered in an orange light. 

Once he put together what he was seeing, tall trees, the light from the sunset, and Goopy on his chest, he let out an internal groan. 

_I let it happen again?_

The carnation stared down at the slime in his arms, breathing softly against his stem. This, along with how _goddamn innocent_ Goopy looked sent Cagney’s mind into a panic. 

Cagney gently poked Goopy, whispering his name. Normally, he would have just shoved the slime off of his stem, got up, and left towards home, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t bring himself to be so callous. 

“Nn… Cags..?” the little slime opened his eyes slowly, peering up at Cagney. Good god, was that all-too-familiar feeling in his stem driving him crazy. 

"Looks like we fell asleep…” Cagney said softly, gently lifting the small slime in his leaves and setting him in the grass. 

“Man…” Goopy muttered, looking up at the dim light dancing along the leaves, “How long did we sleep?” 

“Must’ve been at least a few hours…” Cagney stretched himself out, feeling awfully stiff after what he assumed to be a long nap. It felt like he had slept for days. 

“This is really funny...” Goopy smiled at Cagney, “It’s the 3rd time we’ve slept together.” 

“Is not… We only did it twi-” Cagney decided to stop himself, realizing that he hadn’t displayed any hints of displeasure in his sentence. 

“You don’t seem as upset as you usually would… Are you falling for me or something?” Goopy giggled. 

“Of course not, idiot.” The feeling grew more unbearable. 

“I’m just joking around, Cags. But I suppose I wouldn’t necessarily mind if-” 

“Enough, Goopy. I’m gonna head home, it’s really late…” Cagney headed towards the exit, waving to Goopy over his back. 

“Oh- Oh, alrighty! See you next week then!” Goopy called back, waving, though Cagney didn’t see it. “And-!” 

Cagney turned back for a second. 

“Thank you for saying I could kick their asses!” 

“Yeah, no problem.” 

 

Cagney, again, started the long walk home from Goopy’s house. 

_Of course I’m not falling for him, of all people. As much as I effing hate it, it’s probably just embarrassment. With all those stupid jokes he makes, and how he’s always touching me, how would I not be embarrassed? Yeah, that’s definitely it…_

 

Thoughts similar to this seemed to occupy Cagney’s mind for the rest of the night as he analyzed that _horrible, disgusting, nauseating_ feeling he loathed so much.


	7. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early August

“Cags, guess what?” 

“What?” Cagney looked up from the garden box he was watering, glancing over to Goopy under the tree. 

The gardening lessons between the two had ended, Cagney having taught Goopy everything he could possibly think to teach. Goopy had decided, despite much protest from Cagney, that the two would still meet up every week and have a “chatting hour”, as Goopy called it. 

“I finally did it, I took your advice!” he held out a slip of paper, as if Cagney would be able to see it from across the yard. 

“What are you talking about?” he squinted his eyes in an attempt to read the tiny paper. 

“I joined a fight at the Clip Joint!” 

“Really? I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it.” _He seemed like he was a bit scared of those frogs over there._

“Are you questioning my resolve, Cagney?” Goopy asked, offense lining his voice. 

“No, I just thought you’d take longer to decide.” he shrugged. “But it’s good you’re doing it.” 

“Yeah, I’m really excited! You’re coming to the match, right?” he hopped to Cagney, earning a worried glance from the carnation. _God, he’s gonna get his goop all over the place again._

Goopy handed him the slip of paper. It was a torn, lined piece of paper with sloppy, penciled lettering. He read it aloud, “Goopy Le Grande vs. Top Fighter, August 5th, 3PM, one guest seat without pay.” 

“Amazing, huh? I get to fight the top guys! It’ll 'prolly still be the frog brothers, nobody has beaten them in nearly a year now… I’m a bit nervous, to be honest…” Goopy started going off about the fight, but Cagney was only half listening, focusing on the bit about “one guest seat without pay.” 

“That’s great Goopy… Who’s the guest?” Though Cagney wouldn’t acknowledge it, he honestly hoped it would be him. 

“You, of course! Who else?” he laughed. 

“I was just wondering if you had family to invite, or something.” he tried not to sound relieved, much less happy. 

“Nah, my folks are all the way across the country. Haven’t seen them in a while, actually…” he sighed, looking towards the visible shore. 

“Why’s that?” Cagney asked, heading back to the blanket. Goopy instinctively followed, and both sat together, as they always had. 

“They… Didn’t necessarily agree with some aspects of my life… But it’s alright.” 

“What parts?” 

“It’s nothing, Cags. Don’t worry about it.” 

Something in Goopy’s voice almost _commanded_ Cagney to stop asking, and he complied. It was obviously a touchy subject, and Cagney recognized this. 

“So…” Cagney started, attempting to break the awkward silence, “This thing is August 5th?” 

“Yeah, tomorrow.” Goopy replied, but Cagney noticed the lack of emotion in his voice. _Is he thinking about his parents? Shit, I didn’t mean to put him in a bad mood…_

“Hey, you gonna be okay?” He knew he was supposed to drop the subject, but seeing Goopy looking off into the distance, with such a sad expression, led Cagney’s mouth to move on its own. 

“Huh?” he averted his gaze from the clear shore back to Cagney, “Yeah, of course. I’m just thinking about the fight, is all.” 

“That’s all? You’re gonna be fine, trust me. The only problem might be your size…” 

“Hey, with my ‘size’, I can dodge really well! I’m more worried about those frogs bros, I don’t wanna see ‘em cry.” 

“Oh, don’t be so confident. You never know, they might be so tall you can’t even reach them.” 

“Height has never stopped me before, as you know.” 

 

\------ 

 

Once again, Cagney found himself lying awake in his garden. Staring up at the bright moon, shuffling himself in the dirt, and trying his best to get one wink of sleep. 

_Is he really going to be okay? I know I said he could beat them, but…_

Cagney had found himself worrying about Goopy, for some odd reason, all day. Of course, as usual, this had led to another sleepless night. 

_Nah, he’s gonna be fine… He’s pretty fast, at least… And, I’m pretty sure they’d break up the fight if it got too bad, right? Oh, but that place is a real… Well, shit hole. Maybe they just let people get beat till they crawl out the exit? No, there’s no way… He’s gonna be fine, Cagney. Why are you even worried?_

Even though he reassured himself multiple times that night, he didn’t find slumber until early in the morning, and by then, he had to wake up and take care of the garden. 

 

\------ 

 

At 2:15, Goopy arrived at Cagney’s garden to walk him to the Clip Joint. He had with him nothing but his gloves and a first aid kit, the latter making Cagney’s nerves worse yet. 

But Cagney’s stress was nothing compared to Goopy’s, who was practically shaking the entire walk to the boat. 

“Goopy, are you sure you’re going to be alright?” Cagney looked down at the shivering slime below him, who unsteadily hopped in the direction of what he assumed to be his imminent doom. 

“Yep, don’t worry about a thing. It’s just, y’know, this is my first fight, so, it’s not like I have any experience!” a wide smile was plastered on his face, but it didn’t look natural in the slightest. 

“Goopy, if you want to back out, maybe take an easier opponent, you still can…” Cagney tried his very best not to appear too worried, but it was beyond difficult to do this when he looked at Goopy’s forced expression. 

“I can’t back out! They’ve already announced the schedule! If I back out now, I’ll be labeled a coward until the day I die!” he exclaimed. 

“Ok, look,” Cagney put a leaf on Goopy’s spike, stopping him in his tracks, and bent down, “You are going to do just fine. You may not be the _best_ fighter in the world, but you sure as hell are better than those dumbass frogs. They’re just frogs, after all, _and_ you can create as much slime as you want, so they’ll have quite the difficulty defeating you,” Cagney patted Goopy’s head, “You’re gonna do just swell.” 

Goopy stopped shaking, and smiled, genuinely this time. “I don’t know about all that, but… Thank you, Cags. I’ll do my best!” he held his fist in the air, a gesture of confidence. 

“No problem… Now, we should get over there if we wanna get a good seat.” 

 

\----- 

 

“Damn… They don’t call this a Clip Joint for nothing…” 

Cagney didn’t expect some fancy boxing rink, sure, but he certainly didn’t expect this either. It’s not like he had ever been in the Clip Joint, but he had heard it was a bit of a rough place. Tables filled with flies drowning themselves in smoke and booze, what Cagney could only assume were beat up opponents in the corner, and a wide, open space in the middle of the area. Nobody stood it in now, but he had a good guess what the space could be used for. 

Of course, Goopy noticed the bleeding fighters off to the side, supposedly receiving first aid from friends and family. Cagney turned him around, and led him to a tall man standing off to the side. A sign next to him read “All fighters and guests register here.” 

The tall man looked Cagney and Goopy up and down, most likely surprised at seeing such a frail flower and puny slime in a place like this. Then again, he’d probably seen much stranger things while working there. 

“Um..” Cagney started, grabbing the slip of paper from Goopy’s tight fist, and handing it to the man, “We have this slip-” 

“Go in. You,” he pointed at Goopy, “head to that door on the left. And, you,” he moved his finger to Cagney, “sit at any open table.” 

“Al-Alright, thank you…” Cagney looked around first for a table, and once he had found that, over to Goopy’s door. 

“Goopy,” he looked down, “You’ve got this.” Goopy nodded, shoving the first aid kit into Cagney’s hands. 

The carnation stayed still as he watched Goopy disappear behind the dark door into a dimly lit room. Once Goopy had safely made it inside, as if something would happen to him on the way over, Cagney headed towards a small table near the front. 

_Good seat…_ he thought as he weaved between the other onlookers, each looking overly excited to see the next pair of opponents. 

 

During the short time he waited there, Cagney was offered drinks and a smoke at least 3 times by the waiter. Each time he refused, not only because he wasn’t quite fond of alcohol, but also because he didn’t have a single cent on him. Now wringing his hands nervously in his seat, though, he wished he could have downed a glass or two. 

There weren’t any clocks on the boat, obviously, but Cagney had a good feeling that 3 o’clock was approaching. He turned out to be correct, as within minutes of his guess, a loud voice rang out across the joint. 

“Alright, folks!” a scratchy voice called out, much to the delight of the patrons, “This next fight will star our champion fighters and a newbie! Please, come on out, Goopy Le Grande!” 

As soon as his name had been called, Goopy sprang out of the door he had entered minutes ago. He hopped out onto the stage, and smiled widely at the audience. Cagney, despite himself, let out a small cheer. However, everyone else in the joint seemed to be scowling at, or just flat out booing, him, much to Cagney’s dismay. 

“And now, the frogs you all know and love, Ribby and Croaks!” 

Again, two burst from the door. But Cagney came to a horrifying realization as he saw the champions clearly: _They were gigantic._

It seemed Goopy already knew this fact, or at least pretended to, as his expression didn’t change much, though Cagney could sense it was ingenuine. The frogs towered over Goopy, having to be at least 6 to 7 feet tall. They looked down at the slime with a smirk that screamed overconfidence. 

Almost as soon as the announcer cried “And begin!” the three went at it. Cagney sat on the edge of his seat as the smaller frog threw his first punch, which Goopy dodged successfully. The same could hardly be said for the second blow by the larger one, as it was about an inch from hitting Goopy, who rolled out of the way at the last second. 

It dawned on Cagney as he watched Goopy dodge hit after hit that he wasn’t getting a single hit on them. Not only that, but Goopy’s dodges appeared to be getting… sloppier. He could hardly see the blue blur whizzing between fists, but he could almost make out an extremely distressed expression. 

His hands clutched the first aid kit tighter, eyes wide as he watched Goopy dodge left and right, to the annoyance of Ribby and Croaks. 

Then, Goopy stood back, and did something Cagney knew immediately to be a mistake, he attempted to hit them. 

He accomplished the first part rather well, landing a knock on one of the frog’s knees (not doing too much damage), but as soon as he did this, a fist came down on him, smashing him right into the floor. 

“Goopy!” Cagney instinctively yelled, standing up from his seat. Others yelled at him to sit back down (he was over six feet tall), but Cagney hardly noticed them, his attention focused on the bit of slime he could see oozing out from under the boxing glove. 

Cagney waited, completely still, for them to lift the glove, horrified to see what Goopy would look like underneath. Apparently, the fist didn’t need to be raised at all, as Goopy eventually slipped out on his own. 

A monumental mistake. As soon as he was free, another fist came down on him, and more, and more. A beating rained down on the tiny slime until his goop had been scattered across the entire arena. 

Everything seemed to slow down. Cagney practically had to restrain himself to keep from running into the rink, saving Goopy from this shit hole fighting rink, and running him back to his warm, safe home. 

Eventually, after what seemed like an agonizing eternity to Cagney, the punches slowed, and the frogs laughed at the number they had done on the poor newbie. 

“Ribby and Croaks win again!” the announcer shouted, but Cagney didn’t hear a single word, all he could hear was his heart beating in his chest as he ran into the rink, pushing past flies, and nearly knocking over tables. 

His vision, almost like a tunnel, was fixed on the blue pulp in the center of the room. He clutched the first aid kit to his chest, and despite the angry yelling from the announcer and bouncer, Cagney scooped Goopy up in his arms, immediately noticing each and every injury on his person. He tried not to look at them as he scrambled to the exit, pushing past the tall man and bursting out into the hot afternoon air. 

Almost as soon as he had made contact with the grass, Cagney collapsed into it, laying Goopy out and opening the first aid kit. He saw that the slime was unconscious, and appeared smaller than before. Much smaller. He could also see something was off about his nose, it was slightly crooked, and something trickled out from it. Was it blood, maybe? 

Either way, Cagney had no idea what to do. _What’s the thing for bloody noses? Hold your head forward? Back? Bandages? No, he’s still unconscious, a bloody nose isn't the priority!_

Cagney frantically shuffled through the contents of the kit, hoping that seeing the items inside would suddenly enlighten him with the knowledge necessary to heal Goopy. 

Eventually, he found himself stuffing tissues up the slime’s nose, and rapidly replacing them as they filled with blood. He quickly realized that doing this might cause Goopy to suffocate, so he worriedly placed his finger under the slime’s nose, and, luckily, felt him breathing. 

The blood eventually stopped flowing, but Goopy was still out cold. At this point, Cagney was beyond panicked. _Goddammit, I’ve never had to save someone! Oh God, what if he had a concussion?! Does he even have a brain? What the hell do I do?!_

He decided the best course of action was to quickly run and ask for help. There had to be at least one person who knew more than he did on this subject. Though he didn’t want to leave Goopy in danger, this seemed like the only good option. 

Checking once more to see if Goopy was still breathing, Cagney broke into a dead sprint across Inkwell. It seemed to only take him second to find a young woman walking along the dirt paths. Cagney nearly ran into her in his panic. 

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” she exclaimed angrily as Cagney nearly knocked her over. 

“I’m sorry but, please, can you help me? My friend is knocked out, and he was bleeding, and I don’t know if-” he started rambling. 

“Calm down, calm down!” she put a hand on Cagney’s shoulder to stop him from shaking, “Where is he?” 

Cagney grabbed the woman’s arm and dragged her back to the Clip Joint, and once they had arrived, she immediately broke the grip to tend to the unconscious blue lump in the grass. 

She looked him over for a second, and then turned back to Cagney. “He got knocked out in there?” 

“Yes, he was punched over and over by those damn frogs…!” Cagney sat next to the woman, who he now could look at more clearly. She seemed to know what she was doing, turning Goopy over on his side, feeling his arms and head, etc. 

After a tense silence, the woman stood up. Cagney looked up at her with a mix of hope and worry. 

“He’s going to be just fine,” Cagney’s shoulders immediately relaxed, “It’s not a concussion, surprisingly. He should wake up in a bit, just put him in a bed and keep him on his side. If he starts bleeding from the nose again, block it up with a few tissues till it stops. You got that?” 

“Yes, thank you, Miss...” Cagney turned to the woman with a questioning look. 

“Berg, Hilda Berg.” she nodded, and headed back to where she had been before Cagney grabbed her. 

Cagney watched her walk away, and quickly picked up Goopy and the first aid kit. After getting everything in a relatively comfortable position, he headed towards Goopy’s home. 

 

It was a long walk from the Clip Joint back to Goopy’s little home, and that time seemed to be doubled by that fact that Cagney was carrying such a heavy weight in his arms, and such an enormous amount of worry in his head. 

All he could do during the trip was carefully make sure Goopy was still turned over, and step slowly, as not to shake him too much. The entire walk was overall slow, cautious, and extremely unpleasant. 

Once he had reached the familiar fence lining Goopy’s lawn, he began to worry that the door would be locked. Thankfully, though it was difficult with his hands full, Cagney was able to open the door relatively easily. As soon as he was inside, before even shutting the door, he made a beeline for the bedroom. He carefully laid Goopy down inside, making one more observation of Goopy’s state. 

_You gotta keep him on his side…_ Cagney took some pillows and blankets to make a small nest that would keep Goopy’s current position. After standing for a second, examining the bed and the slime in it, he sprinted to shut and lock the door again. 

Almost as soon as the carnation had returned to Goopy, before he even sat down next to the bed, he heard a small whining sound. 

 

“Gh…” Goopy moaned a bit, turning himself in the sheets. Cagney watched with bated breath as Goopy continued doing this for a moment, until he managed to open an eye. 

“...Goopy?” Cagney asked gently, not wanting to alarm the injured slime. 

“Ca- Cags…?” Both of his eyes were half-open now, and he attempted to sit up in bed, only for Cagney to hold him down. 

“Don’t get up yet, you need to rest a bit.” Gooey complied, lying back down in his previous position. 

He fell asleep again, not uttering another word for many hours. Cagney had decided it best to stay with Goopy for the night to check up on him. There was no way he could just leave him like _this_ , after all. 

At first, he laid on the carpeting next to the bed, then moved himself into the living room. After a few hours, he found himself wandering through the house, unable to find comfort in any room. He knew Goopy would be alright, of course he would be, but his mind just couldn’t rest. 

_God, what is happening to me? Only a few months ago I was living alone with my flowers, and now I’m wandering around and caring for that ball of slime… This is just ridiculous…_

 

Cagney eventually settled himself on Goopy’s bed, lying down next to him. He stared at the overturned slime next to him, feeling absolutely awful. 

_God, why did I tell him to enter there? It was such an awful idea! He obviously can’t fight anyone, he’s too small! Cagney, you damn idiot…_

Thoughts like this ran amuck through Cagney’s mind for several minutes, possibly even an hour, as he watched Goopy stir occasionally, only to settled himself down again. 

 

“Cagney?” Goopy’s voice suddenly filled the silence of the bedroom, startling Cagney from his thoughts. 

“Yeah- Yeah, Goopy?” 

“I’m sorry.” 

Without even seeing Goopy’s face, Cagney could _hear_ the sorrow in his voice. His stomach dropped, and a frown immediately grew on his face. 

“For what? You didn’t do any-” 

“I’m sorry I was so helpless,” he interrupted, “I couldn’t even land a hit on them…” His voice sounded dry, almost choked. 

“No, Goopy… _I’m_ the one who told you to go fight…” 

“I made you worry about me… I’m really, really sorry, Cagney.” 

Cagney’s stomach dropped further still when he heard his regular name. How long had it been since Goopy had said it? 

“Don’t apologize, Goopy. _You’re_ the one who got beat to a pulp…” 

Goopy winced a bit at Cagney’s words, earning a small groan from the carnation. 

_Shit, why did I say that? He already feels bad, idiot!_

“Shit, Goopy, I didn’t mean-” 

“It’s fine. You can leave now, Cagney…” Goopy responded, almost all trace of emotion had left his voice. 

Cagney flinched slightly, the dead tone of Goopy’s voice seemed almost alien. 

With slight hesitation, he protested, “Goopy, you’re still injured, I can’t just leave you like this.” 

“Cagney…” Goopy sighed, “Please just go… I’ll come see you in a few days but- But right now I just need some time.” 

Cagney thought of arguing again, trying to convince Goopy that he needed him there, but decided it best to keep his mouth shut, and quietly leave the house.

 

All that awaited the carnation at home were worried friends, heavy stress, and another sleepless night.


	8. The Observatory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid August

“Alright, guys, you need to be careful today. Don’t talk about the fight.” Cagney stood in the middle of his garden, his flower friends all gathered around him for a quick talk. 

“We know, Cagney! Why would we rub a defeat like that in his face?” one commented, almost offended at Cagney’s wariness. 

“I trust you guys, I just wanted to remind you. He’s coming over for the first time since the fight, and he’s been holed up in that house for over a week now.” Cagney added, more reminding himself than his friends at this point. 

“It’ll be just fine! We won’t say a single word!” 

“Thanks, guys…” 

 

Goopy had promised to come see Cagney again in a few days, but those “few days” had extended to over a week. As Cagney began to worry more and more, and was almost prepared to run to the slime’s home, he received a message from a local walking flower, who showed up on his doorstep early in the afternoon the previous day. 

The flower had been told to relay a message from Goopy himself, telling Cagney that he planned to come to his garden the following afternoon. Cagney accepted the message with relief and even slight joy. He was realizing over this week just how much he actually _enjoyed_ Goopy’s company. 

Today, though, he wasn’t exactly expecting a cheery Goopy to spend the afternoon with. Cagney had come to realize that Goopy, though often joyous, was one who took a while to recover from upsetting events. This was evident in the experience they shared a bit after they met, but it seemed Goopy could recover after the issue was resolved. How could he resolve getting his ass kicked? 

Either way, Cagney certainly wasn’t incorrect in his prediction, but somehow seeing Goopy slowly hop to his gate, still wearing a solemn expression, caused his stomach to drop. 

“Hey, Goopy. Glad to see you finally out of the house.” Cagney opened the gate for Goopy, who made no effort to respond or thank him. 

Of course, Cagney took immediate notice. 

“So, uh…” Cagney started, watching Goopy silently head towards the shed, “How are you doing?” 

Goopy entered and exited the shed again with the blanket in his hand, and passed Cagney again on his way to the tree. “Fine...” 

Cagney almost flinched at his tone. He had heard it on multiple occasions now, but still couldn’t seem to get used to it. 

“You…” Cagney debated making a comment, as he had warned his friends not to bother Goopy about the fight. Then again, avoiding the topic seemed pointless, as Goopy was clearly thinking about it already. “You don’t sound fine.” 

“I am, Cags…” he sighed, setting up the usual sitting spot. 

_The nickname is a good sign, but… Yeah, he’s definitely upset about the fight._

“Alright…” For the umpteenth time, Cagney and Goopy situated themselves together on the blanket, but no joyful conversation was there to fill the air this time around. 

An awkward silence (Cagney thought it was, at least) hung around the two for what seemed like an eternity. Cagney could hardly take it; the way Goopy was acting. He wanted to get up, tell Goopy to stop being such a crybaby and do something about the problem, but he knew much better than that. Boxing had been one of Goopy’s greatest passions, something he was confident about. He worked hard to become as skilled as he was, only to be crushed within seconds by a couple of dirty frogs. Even Cagney wasn’t insensitive enough to tell him to get over something like that. 

He settled for something a bit different, frantically forming a plan in his mind to cheer Goopy up. Comforting others wasn’t exactly his strong suit, and neither was making someone feel anything resembling happiness. However, he _had_ to do something to get Goopy out of his pitiful state. 

After forming a rough sketch of his action plan, Cagney stood up quickly, standing in front of a surprised looking Goopy. 

“Alright, Goopy.” he turned to look at him, “I’m not going to let you act like this… We’re gonna do something to cheer you up.” 

“But, Cags, I don’t-” 

“And before you argue,” Cagney interrupted, “just know that this will help you.” He paused when he noticed Goopy’s expression, which looked even more upset than before. “And it’s not a burden or anything, so don’t worry.” 

Goopy seemed to relax, just slightly, at that statement. 

Cagney began folding the blanket again as Goopy headed back towards the gate. Cagney, for a second, thought he saw a hint of a smile crossing the slime’s face. 

 

“Huh.. Good job Cagney!” some flowers congratulated him on his “courageous” act, much to his embarrassment. 

“Well, it’s not like I’m doing this because I _want_ to…” he explained weakly. 

“Well, there’s no point in discussing it, really. We all know what’s going on…” they all shared glances and giggled amongst themselves for a few seconds. 

“Nothing is happening! But, I didn’t really think this through…” Cagney looked down at the ground, resting a leaf on the top of his head. 

“Wait, you don’t have a plan?” 

“I have a plan! It’s just… I dunno if it’ll work.” 

 

\----- 

 

Soon enough, Cagney found himself asking the Isle I residents for directions to Inkwell’s observatory. And after that, knocking on the building’s front door. 

 

It took a while for anyone to come to the door. Cagney stood, waiting, on top of the scenic hill, staring off into the sea. 

_Maybe this is a bad idea… What if nobody is here? God, I should just think of something else to do… Go to the beach, or-_

The door swung open suddenly, and Cagney nearly jumped at the sound. 

“You again?” a voice inside questioned, though Cagney couldn’t make them out in the shadow of the doorway. The individual then stepped into the sunlight, and Cagney could finally make out their features. 

“Miss Berg?” Cagney asked in surprise. 

“Yeah… Why are you here? Do you need something else from me?” she asked in an impatient tone. 

“Oh, do...Do you happen to rent out your observatory?” Cagney asked, realizing how rude he must sound. This building didn’t seem like a public one. Was it her home, maybe? 

“No, of course not. I live here, after all.” she shook her head, and began to shut the door again. 

“Wait, Hilda!” Cagney grabbed the door, mentally slapping himself for sounding so desperate. 

“What? I said no!” 

“I’ll pay you, or something, just…” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “Please let me use this place.” 

“Why? Just look up at the sky like everyone else!” 

“Look, I’m just trying to cheer up my buddy. I’m sure he’d love a place like this!” 

“I don’t care about your woes, I do research here! I can’t just let random folks frolic around in here!” 

“Research…?” Cagney finally sighed and looked down at the ground. 

_Well, I can’t ask to use her work_ and _living space, can I?_

There was a short silence in the air, and eventually Cagney turned away to leave, already forming a new plan in his mind. 

“Is it that blue guy? Your friend?” Hilda asked in a calmer tone, stopping Cagney in his tracks. 

“Yes?” he turned back, unwillingly displaying a look of hope on his face. 

There was a bit of humming from Hilda, and a nervous silence from Cagney. He was still hoping she would allow him to use the building, but the chances weren’t looking too good. 

“One hour, ten coins.” she stated shortly, shutting the door again. 

“Really? Thank you!” Cagney shouted through the door. He wasn’t even worried about the payment at that moment (he didn’t exactly have a job), all he wanted was to run home and tell his flowers the good news. 

 

\----- 

 

The sun was setting, and the stars began twinkling in the dim sky. It was a beautiful sight, what with the sky being so clear that night. It was perfect for a trip to the local observatory. 

 

Cagney sat against his fence, watching the sun sink even further below the horizon. He was honestly a bit curious to see what those far away stars would look like through Hilda’s high-quality telescope. Although he still felt a bit weird about borrowing her home and research facility just to inspirit his pitiful pal. He figured, though, that there was no point in thinking about it too much. Hilda was getting paid (eventually), after all. He pondered how _exactly_ he was going to get her ten gold coins… Would he have to get a job? Beg like a bum to get a few off of the locals? That would be more than humiliating… 

Cagney continued like this, lost in his thoughts and worries, until he heard the “squeak” of his gate. He turned to see Goopy standing in it, still wearing the expression he had earlier. But as Cagney stood and greeted him, he noticed that Goopy looked a bit less… distressed. Something about his appearance just seemed different. 

“Well, let’s get going then.” Cagney stated, leading Goopy back out of the garden, and in the direction of the bridge connecting the two halves of the isle. 

“Where are we going?” Goopy asked. A normal question like that was like music to Cagney’s ears. It was certainly a good sign. 

“You’ll see.” 

Cagney felt a bit weird again, but not because he was intruding on Hilda. His actions; comforting a friend, going out of his way to make someone happy, smiling as he walked along with Goopy Le Grande… None of it seemed like the person he thought he was. He had accepted long ago that he wouldn’t make any non-flower friends, and he was content with that, but now… Despite how unusual it was, it just seemed… Right. He wasn’t unhappy, or even angry with himself. In fact, he was _actually enjoying_ this, even the bits that made him feel awful and uncomfortable… Why? 

Now wasn’t the best time to reflect on himself, he decided. He had plans he needed to take care of first. 

 

There was no more conversation along the trip, just the sounds of the sea’s waves and the isle-goers’ chatter. Soon enough, they had reached the hill leading to the observatory. 

“An observatory?” Goopy asked. 

“Yeah. It was supposed to be clear tonight, so I thought we’d be able to see the stars pretty well…” he trudged back up the hill, and to the front door of the building, Goopy bouncing along behind him. 

Cagney gave the door a quick knock, and hardly seconds after, it was opened by Hilda. She stepped aside to let the two in, exchanging a quick “Hello” with them. Once she had shut the door, she stepped up behind Cagney. 

“Remember what you owe me.” she whispered in his ear, supposedly attempting not to let Goopy know about the cost. 

“Yeah, yeah…” he sighed, worries of the high cost entering his mind again. It took a lot of effort to push them out and focus on the curious slime hopping about the room. 

“Wow…” Goopy muttered, staring up at the largest telescope. A short flight of twisted stairs led up to it. 

“You like that one?” Hilda walked up behind him, following his gaze to the oversized equipment above. “That’s the most powerful one I’ve got.” 

“It’s… pretty cool.” he commented. 

“It sure is.” Hilda now turned back to Cagney. “Now, you two can stay for an hour. I have plans with my girl over in Isle three, and I’m not daft enough to leave you two here alone. I can show you how to use the telescope up there, maybe even show you some August constellations, but you two are basically on your own.” she explained. 

“Alright.” Cagney nodded, not wanting to comment on Hilda’s slightly negative attitude. It was understandable, though; her not wanting to leave strangers in her home two isles away. 

“You have a girl?” Goopy turned back to her, a curious expression on his face. 

_Looks like he’s feeling a bit better already…_

“Sure do,” Hilda sighed, “she’s my precious pearl… But that isn’t really any of your business, is it?” 

“Ah, I suppose not, ma’am…” Goopy forced a small laugh. 

“Alright boys,” Hilda headed towards the spiral staircase, “I’ll give you a quick lesson on this here telescope. Let me warn you now, if you damage my equipment in any way, it will certainly cost you.” 

Cagney could hear Goopy swallow hard as they ascended the stairs. He was happy to already see some more emotion in his actions, though his usual attitude wasn’t quite restored yet. 

Once they had reached the landing, Cagney couldn’t help but stare out the crack in the roof into a perfect view of the now-dark sky. Even from here, he could already see the dazzling stars dancing across the night sky. 

“Well, don’t just stare at it.” Hilda interrupted his short admiration, standing with her arms crossed next to the large telescope. 

“Right, sorry.” he frowned a bit, and moved over to stand next to Goopy, who stared up at Hilda. She quickly turned on the enormous machine, flicking switches in a way that showed just how many times she had performed this action. In moments, the machine had activated with a faint whirring 

“Now, you use these buttons here to control which direction you want to move the telescope,” she pointed to a group of four orange arrow keys, “and these two to zoom in and out.” she gestured to another pair. “The telescope can’t spin far enough to become damaged, so it’ll stop you before you can bang it against something. Just be careful not to shake it around, or touch the glass. I’ll be downstairs, but I’d rather you two didn’t bother me.” she added, walking back towards the staircase. 

“Thanks.” Cagney called after her. He turned back to Goopy to find him already staring through the lens. He walked up closer to him. 

“Wow, this is…” Goopy muttered. 

“What do you see?” Cagney had to admit, he was a little excited to see what the stars looked like through a scope like this. 

“I just see… A lot of stars, but they’re really beautiful…” 

Though Cagney wanted a chance to peek through too, he didn’t interrupt Goopy for a second. The small slime gently pressed the directional keys, letting out an occasional expression of wonder. To Cagney, that was a better sight than anything he would see through that telescope. 

After a while, Goopy leaned back from the lense, groaning a bit and rubbing his eyes. 

“It hurts a bit, after a while…” he whined, managing to open them again, “Do you wanna try, Cags?” 

“Sure.” Cagney leaned down to the lense, closing one eye and placing the other against it. Immediately, a gasp escaped his mouth. 

The sight was nothing short of breathtaking. Inkwell was already home to a very clear night sky, but even on the darkest night, not a soul could hope to see something this grand. Colorful stars danced among each other, casting their brights light into the lens. Cagney gently moved the arrow keys, and was continuously met with more beautiful sights. He could have zoomed in further, if he wished, but the sight of the balls of gas alone was enough to satisfy him. 

“You like it, Cags?” Goopy giggled from behind Cagney, who immediately stepped back from the telescope. 

“Uh, I guess it’s pretty nice…” 

“A bit more than nice.” he smiled, and God did that send Cagney’s heart over the edge. 

_At least he’s feeling better… That’s all that matters. If I have to pay time and coins to get him to quit whining, so be it…_

“You feeling better yet?” Cagney asked Goopy, who seemed to now be leaning gingerly against the landing’s railing. 

“Ha, I guess so…” he sighed, but his smile grew to become slightly sad. 

_Shit, I guess I shouldn’t have said anything..._

“I know you don’t wanna talk about it.” Cagney commented. 

“Yeah…” 

“Look, I won’t force you to talk. Honestly, as long as you feel better, it’s fine.” 

“I do feel better, yeah…” he paused, “More than anything, I was upset that I made you save me. How weak am I?” he laughed dryly. 

“You aren’t weak.” Cagney sighed. 

“But I am!” Goopy argued, now visibly upset, “I’m super weak!” How quickly Goopy’s tone had changed took Cagney off guard. 

“No- No, you’re just a bit small. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Cagney shook his head, trying his best to look Goopy in the eyes, to no avail. 

“I hate being small! If small means I’m gonna get my ass kicked, then I hate it!” he exclaimed. 

_Jesus, how did the mood change so quickly?!_

“But, uh… that’s not...” Cagney began to panic, searching frantically for an answer that would satisfy his friend. He couldn’t let Goopy think he thought he was weak! Words soon spilled from his mouth, almost involuntarily, “It’s- It’s cuter that wa-!” He stopped himself after he had blurted it out, realizing his horrifying mistake mid-sentence. 

_Oh. Shit._

The expression Goopy had been wearing immediately left his face, replaced by silent shock. 

“I mean, uh…!” Cagney just couldn’t find any words to help his situation. He was in now, in way over his head. 

_Why the hell did I say that?! I don’t even think that! Of course he isn’t cute! God, Cagney, what the hell?! Are you_ that _desperate to cheer him up?!_

“You… think I’m cute, Cags?” that expression of shock morphed into a wide smirk. 

“No! I didn’t mean to say that, what I meant was, um….!” 

“Oh, Cags~!” Goopy now threw himself onto the carnation, nearly knocking him over. 

“God, it’s not like that!” Cagney whined, trying to stop the slime from snuggling up against his petals. 

“I knew it! Well, I gotta say, that _certainly_ cheered me up!” he exclaimed happily. 

“I just slipped up, alright? Don’t make a big deal out of this…!” Cagney argued in vain, as if it would matter at all to Goopy. 

“Oh, I’ll be making a ‘big deal’ out of this for a _long_ time.” he giggled. 

“Ugh…!” Cagney groaned, closing his eyes in frustration. 

“But, really…” Goopy said in a soft tone, “Thanks, Cags…” 

Cagney only grunted in response, reluctantly patting the slime on his head. This earned a small noise of approval from Goopy. Eventually, Cagney stood up, heading to look back into the telescope. Little did Goopy know that Cagney wasn’t really interested in the stars. He was far more concerned with hiding the bright red color of his face. 

 

The two continued their stargazing, taking turns looking at the dancing night sky. They even managed to find (or just make up) some constellations, much to Goopy’s satisfaction. As usual, pointless chatter filled the observatory, in addition to occasional grunts and humming from Hilda downstairs. 

Cagney found himself having quite the good time. Whether this was directly related to how happy Goopy now seemed, to the fluttery feeling inside of him, to the serene beauty of the stars… He didn’t care to figure out. 

 

“Alright, boys! Time to head home!” Hilda called up the stairs, startling the two. 

“That went by pretty quick…” Cagney mumbled, standing from his spot on the floor and heading in the direction of the staircase. 

“It sure did!” Goopy reluctantly pulled away from the telescope, and followed Cagney’s path. 

“So?” Hilda asked as she watched the two file down the stairs. “How was it?” 

“It was absolutely beautiful, ma’am!” Goopy beamed. 

“Of course it was. There’s a reason I study those stars, y’know?” 

“I can understand your interest.” Cagney commented, looking back up at the enormous telescope. 

“Yep, it’s quite the pleasant profession, I must say… But enough about that,” she gestured towards the observatory’s entrance, “you guys gotta get going now.” 

“Right,” Cagney walked to the metal door, “thanks Miss Berg.” 

“Yeah!” Goopy followed close behind, “Thanks a ton!” 

“Yeah yeah, goodnight boys.” she waved a bit, shutting the door behind the two. Cagney almost thought he heard her whisper something else as they walked away. Even if she had, he didn’t care to question her about it at that moment. 

 

Once they had made their way outside, the two put their heads back to stare up at the night sky. 

“Man…” Goopy sighed, “Even after all that, those stars still aren’t as beautiful…” he looked up at Cagney, “as my lovely carnation.” 

 

Needless to say, Cagney didn’t relax much for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank everyone who has been reading my story up until this point! I wanted to apologize for the weird update, first off. And, unfortunately, I seem to have reached a bit of a writer's block. Now, I don't plan on giving up on this story, but I may have to slow my updates from every Sunday to every other Sunday. 
> 
> So sorry for the future delays!


	9. The Closet

“Jeez, Cagney… There’s no need to get so angry! It’s only September!” 

“I am _not_ angry!” Cagney turned back to his flower friend, his expression contradicting his statement. 

“I know we have a lot to do, but we’ve been doing it for years…” another added. 

“I know that, but… It’s really important, you know?” he sighed. “I hate this damn season…” 

 

It seemed that nearly every person in Inkwell was looking forward to upcoming season. Beautiful leaves changing to fiery colors, cool breezes wafting through the air… Though, reasonably, Cagney loathed Autumn, even more so than Winter. Not only was it beyond dangerous for him, his friends, and his garden, but the stuffy place he had to move to for those months always brought along a sense of dread. 

Every single year, more times than he could count, Cagney had moved himself and his comrades to Inkwell’s only greenhouse. Due to the high amount of sentient flowers residing in Inkwell, the greenhouse was built more as a winter home than a place to grow plants. Though the place did provide warmth and safety, nobody was too big a fan of staying cooped up in a tiny, humid room for over 4 months. 

Strangely enough, Cagney felt even more upset above moving this year than he had any other. Sure, he hated leaving his home, that had always been the case, but a new factor had entered his life that would make leaving even more difficult. 

“Oh, Cagney~!” 

“Goopy?” Cagney turned to face his gate, a look of confusion displayed on his face. 

“Hm?” Goopy mirrored the carnation’s expression, standing in the gateway, “Why do you look like that? We’re meeting up today, right?” 

“We are?” Cagney placed a hand on his head, “Oh, you’re right! Sorry…” 

“Heh, what’s wrong Cags?” he entered the garden now, “You never forget stuff like this!” 

“Yeah, I’m just busy, I guess it slipped my mind.” he sighed, standing up to head towards the usual spot. 

“So busy you’d forget about ‘lil ‘ol me?” Goopy pouted, feigning disappointment. 

“It’s nothing to do with you, it’s just Fall.” he shook his head. 

“What’s wrong with Fall?” Goopy asked. 

“Everything, Goopy. Every. Single. Thing.” Cagney huffed angrily. 

“Well, could you give me an example?” Goopy seemed to be humoring Cagney for a bit, hardly reacting to his over-annoyance. 

The two had finished setting up now, and Cagney sat down in a huff, with Goopy carefully situating himself next to him. For once, it was Cagney’s turn to be the emotional one of the two. 

“Well, the cold is obviously dangerous for me and my friends, and moving myself and my entire home is another awful thing, and the leaves are just _horrid_ , and-!” 

“Wait, wait!” Goopy interrupted, earning a look of irritation from Cagney, “You’re leaving?” 

“Ah-” Cagney stopped for a moment. He hadn’t intended to tell Goopy about his temporary move for a bit longer. He figured it would be best if Goopy didn’t make a big deal out of it, or, he convinced himself that was the main reason. It was certainly _not_ the look of stunned concern on the slime’s face. 

“When are you leaving? Where? Why would you-” 

“I just go to a greenhouse every year… It’s not a big deal.” Cagney interrupted, bringing Goopy’s panicked string of questions to an end, “I leave in November, whenever it gets really cold, and I come back when it gets warm again… usually in March.” he explained. 

“That… makes sense, I guess. You have to spend all that time in such a tiny place?” 

“Yep, that’s why Autumn is the worst.” he nodded. 

“So… I won’t be able to see you for four whole months?” He looked extremely distraught, his expression pulling on Cagney’s heart strings. 

“I guess… you can visit me.” Cagney sighed, turning away from Goopy a bit. 

“I can? It won’t be the same, but at least I can see you!” Goopy sighed, happily this time. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Cagney huffed, now resting his head against the tree. 

“I mean, I was hoping to spend Christmas with my favorite flower!” he giggled, “You know what people do on Christmas Eve together~?” 

“Not- Not really. It’s not like I’ve ever celebrated it… Besides, Christmas is really far off...” Cagney responded reluctantly, Goopy’s smug expression making him uncertain. 

Cagney had never really cared for the Christmas holiday, as he had never been around to experience it. Sure, he knew what it was, but he basically had only a surface level understanding. Something about presents and reindeer, right? 

“Well, that makes sense. You _did_ say that nobody has asked you out.” 

“So... I’m guessing it’s some dumb romantic thing?” he rolled his eyes. 

“Yep! You see, the tradition is that couples spend Christmas Eve together! Or, if you have kids, you spend it with them! Sometimes single people will hang out with their single buddies, but that’s not nearly as fun.” 

“Huh. Well, it’s not like I can celebrate it anyways, I’ll be cooped up in that greenhouse.” Cagney shrugged, trying his very hardest to keep his composure. 

_He’d only want to spend it with me to tick me off… Or because he’s got nobody else around. Of course, yeah. I guess… I could spend it with him… But I’ll be in the greenhouse, so there’s no way. Right, now way at all…_

The thought of spending a (supposedly) romantic holiday with Goopy… It left Cagney more than flustered. 

“Ah, I suppose… But still, I’m gonna come over there and spend that special evening with my lovely carnation!” he grinned widely, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“You can’t, you’ll just melt all over the place!” 

“Oh, right… Hmm…” Goopy hummed, staring down at the already-browning grass. 

“It’s fine. You’ve gotten through every other Christmas, right?” 

“Yeah, but… That doesn't mean I like it.” he sighed, looking over to Cagney with a look of disappointment. “It would be way more fun with a friend! Even better with a boyfriend…” 

“Boy- Boyfriend?” Now Cagney was sure he was red, feeling his face turn hot despite the light breeze. 

“Well, yeah! Wouldn’t that make any day better?” Goopy laughed, surprised at Cagney’s confusion. 

“I just… Nevermind.” he searched for the words, trying his best to recover from his sudden confusion. 

Cagney already knew Goopy was gay. He _definitely_ knew that. So why did hearing him actually confirm it make him feel so weird? 

“What, are you surprised?” Goopy smiled a bit, seemingly entertained by Cagney’s reaction. 

“Well, um-” he stuttered, “No- No offense, but not really, no....” 

“Oh. But you’re OK with that, right?” 

“Of- Of course! You just caught me off guard, is all…” 

“I thought it was pretty obvious! Are you really that clueless, Cags?” he cooed, a hint of laughter in his voice. 

“No, I suspected, but… I guess I never thought about it.” 

“That makes sense. You said you don’t even think about your own sexuality, so why would you think about mine?” 

“Ri- Right…” Cagney closed his eyes, the topic of his romantic life once again bringing him frustration. 

“Speaking of which… Do you think you’ve figured it out at all? You gotta at least have an idea!” 

“I… I don’t think I’ve figured it out… But, it’s not like I’m trying to.” Cagney kept his eyes shut, trying to focus on the breeze blowing against his skin. He really did hate thinking about these things. 

“That’s too bad… But I guess everyone moves at their own pace.” Goopy shrugged. 

“How… How did you find out?” Cagney asked, going against his better judgement. 

“Oh, I’m not really sure, honestly. It kinda just… Slowly dawned on me. Little things throughout my life just sorta… Tipped me off. I’d get more nervous around guys than girls, stuff like that. It took a bit for me to figure out, but when I got it, I knew it was true.” he explained. 

“Oh… You just… know?” 

“Sorta… You kinda get a feeling, or at least I did. It’s really different for everyone.” 

“Huh… Did anyone ever make fun of you or anything?” 

“Well, sometimes. I mean, there will always be people like… _that_.” he grimaced at his last word, showing that he clearly had someone in mind. 

Of course, Cagney noticed. He considered leaving the topic alone, just ending the whole conversation. Though Cagney couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason, he absolutely hated this sort of talk… _Sexuality_ … Wasn’t something he cared about. 

 

Right? 

 

“Oh…” Cagney stared down at Goopy, still frowning down at the ground, “Is there anyone in particular that… Did that?” 

“Well, yes…” Goopy paused for just enough time for Cagney to reconsider asking his question, “They were pretty important to me, but… They just couldn’t get over it.” 

Damn, did Cagney want to say something, anything to wipe that _awful_ expression from his friend’s face. But, unfortunately, he wasn’t exactly an _expert_ in these sorts of things. Should he even ask who it was? He had a good guess… 

“Well, if you don’t mind my asking…” Goopy turned again to stare up at the carnation, “Were they… Your family?” 

It seemed he had hit the nail on the head, much to Cagney’s relief _and_ dismay. Goopy quickly directed his attention back towards the swaying grass, not uttering a single word. 

_So_ that’s _why he left home… Or got kicked out._

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Cagney sighed. 

“No…” Goopy shook his head slowly, “Don’t apologize. It’s _their_ fault, not yours.” 

“I don’t know the whole story, but… Yeah, it _does_ sound like their fault.” 

Goopy’s eyes seemed to light up, if only for a moment, before he continued. “Y-yeah, I mean, they kicked me out for something so small… I think I have every right to be a bit upset… Right?” Cagney noticed the caution in his voice, and made sure to continue cautiously himself. 

“Yeah, that’s just really cruel of them. I can’t believe they would do that to you.” Cagney could feel himself getting worked up, but kept his tone calm. 

“Right? What kind of parents kick out their own son just for liking men?” he asked, anger now tinging his voice. It was first time Cagney had heard a tone like… _that_. 

 

He kinda liked it. 

 

“If I’m being honest, that’s super shitty of them!” Cagney now let his anger slip freely into his words. The thought of some asshole parents hurting Goopy was enough to make his blood boil. 

“Yeah! It’s ridiculous, right? Who cares if they’re family? I’m not gonna sit there and listen to them say I’m going to hell!” 

“Right! You shouldn’t have to!” 

 

Somehow, the conversation had morphed from a one-sided conversation about how awful Autumn was, to a calm talk about sexuality, to an angry rant about Goopy’s parents in a span of 5 minutes. However, it seemed the two both felt (even though Cagney had never met them) quite relieved after the heated conversation. It looked to Cagney like it was something Goopy really needed to let out. 

 

“So, the jist of it is, my parents are a pair of jerks who can’t handle that I’m different than them!” 

“Precisely! You’re way better off without them!” 

“Agreed!” 

The two ended their conversation with a small huff, now laying back against the tree behind them. For some reason, they _both_ felt a strange sense of relief, though it made more sense on Goopy’s end. 

 

“Hey Cags?” he spoke up. 

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks… Thanks for agreeing with me.” he wouldn't look at the carnation, “It seems that everyone I’ve ever talked to about that thinks I should go make amends…” 

“Is… That why you didn’t want to tell me?” 

“Yeah… I figured it was better not to know your opinion than to know it was opposite to mine.” 

_That’s why he looked so happy when I said I felt bad for him…_

“Well, you don’t need to worry…” he paused, “You can talk to me… It’s OK.” 

“Really?” Goopy stared into Cagney’s eyes with a look of pure appreciation, before quickly dropping that and wrapping his arms along Cagney’s stem, reviving that old feeling the carnation felt all too often. “That’s so sweet of you, Cags~!” 

“Is not…!” he said a bit too loudly, taken aback by his sudden contact. 

“Oh, and to think, just a few months ago you were kicking me out of your garden!” 

“‘Cause you broke into it!” 

“I only broke in ‘cause there was such a lovely carnation inside!” 

“Didn’t you trespass so you _wouldn’t_ run into me?” 

 

The hangout ended at the same time as usual, leaving Cagney in the same old tailspin. 

 

_So, he’s gay then…_

The feeling returned. 

_He likes guys… I suspected, but…_

It grew stronger. 

_So… Is it true that he likes…._

And stronger still. 

_No, he couldn’t… No way in hell._

It almost hurt at this point. 

 

As Cagney thought about Goopy again, bringing together every memory, every bit of information he had gathered about him over the past few months, he brought himself to a realization. Not a sudden one, not one that hit him with the force of a speeding train. More like… A wave slowly washing over him, allowing him to connect the dots of everything he had been feeling. 

 

He groaned, and put his head in his hands, staring down into the dark soil. 

 

_Dear god… I like him, don’t I?_


End file.
